Work lands city scholar 1st runner-up in nat’l tilt

By Julie G. Fianza

BAGUIO CITY - Barangay mutrition scholar Monica Sicat of Barangay City Camp Proper was first runner-up in the recent Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance and the National Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) contest, awarded  Nov. 9 at the Philippine International Convention Center, Manila.

She has fulfilled twelve-point program of the nutrition targets: promotion of desirable infant and young child feeding practices, micronutrient program, home and community food production, integrated management of sever and moderate acute malnutrition, supplementary feeding, nutrition education, safe drinking water supply, sanitary toilet facilities, and livelihood programs.

Other concerns were promotion of desirable nutrition and lifestyle behaviors, nutrition services integrated in efforts as to emergency preparedness, mitigation and rehabilitation; nutrition sensitive agriculture and other development programs including support services such as the annual Operation Timbang plus and child growth monitoring and promotion.

Of all the programs, it was Operation Timbang (OPT) that got Sicat started in being a full-fledged BNS in 2008. Back home from being a caregiver overseas, she finds fulfillment in helping others in her community.

Her dedication was so much that OPT got completed in record time. With her regular monitoring and implementation of feeding programs and nutrition education for parents, there is a marked reduction of number of underweight preschool children in her barangay, from 22 in 2008 to only one in 2011.

With her initiative and persistence, Sicat saw to it that a barangay resolution was issued for allocation of funds for iron folate tablets for pregnant women in her barangay. This was to augment the supply given by the City Health Office.

Two other adjacent barangays were also persuaded by her and other barangay officials to hold joint nutrition classes twice a week for 45 mothers and their children, for nutrition guidelines, values, craft and cooking.

Sicat also conducted kiddie classes on basic learning and teen classes, in their barangay, with the assistance of Dominican priests.

Being in an urban setting, thus space-deprived, did not deter Sicat to promote vertical gardeni+ng where even old pots and pans, old crates, plastic bottles, styroboxes were used for gardening. For composting biodegradables into fertile soil, old drums were used.

With support from other institutions, and her resourcefulness, materials were made available for feeding programs, iron supplements, and official uniform for the barangay nutrition committee.

She is a consistent outstanding BNS nominee and the outstanding BNS 2011 in the city-wide search. Mayor Mauricio Domogan, along with other local and national nutrition officials, was with her during the awarding ceremonies.   

She joins Lina Guerrero of Concepcion, Kabasalan, Zamboanga Sibugay; National Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar Awardee, and Ma. DignaTayong of Mainit, Nabunturan, Compostela Valley, 2nd runner-up.

Ifugao province, Cordillera Region was also a first year CROWN  maintenance awardee with others from Cagayan, Region 2; Maasin City, Southern Leyte of region 8, Zamboanga Sibugay of region 9, Opol, Misamis Oriental of region 10, and Kidapawan City, Cotabato, region 12.

Other CROWN awardees are Vigan City, Quirino province, Tarlac city, Toledo city of Cebu, Polanco in Zamboangadel Norte and Zamboanga city.