2 Cordillera LGUs in nat’l nutrition awards

By Dexter A. See  and Mariz Geminiano

BAGUIO CITY  – Two local government units in the Cordillera were included in this year’s awardees in a ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila on July 31for their exemplary implementation of the government’s nutrition programs that resulted to significant reduction of malnutrition in their areas of jurisdiction.

National Nutrition Council – Cordillera regional nutrition program coordinator Rita Papey said Alfonso Lista, Ifugao is one of the recipients of the coveted Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) for having been a Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner on Nutrition (CROWN) for six consecutive years while Baguio City will be receiving its second year CROWN maintenance award.

Alfonso Lista will receive P1 million cash award, which the town can use to boost its health programs. It will also receive a plaque.

In 2017, Ifugao province garnered the Nutrition Honor Award for the provincial category after being awarded the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) for six years in a row.

The NNC had noted Ifugao's nutrition programs and interventions that improved the nutritional status of the Ifugaos.

Last year, Ifugao garnered the NHA for the provincial category after it was also able to maintain its being a CROWN award for six years that included the province in the elite list of local governments having implemented notable nutrition programs and interventions that have improved the nutritional status of the people in the province.

Papey said nutrition is one of the underrated programs of the government but it is one of the most important aspects of the health of an individual that will contribute in sustaining and improving their productivity in life.

For the regional awardees, the Green Banner Award will also be conferred by the NNC-CAR to Benguet for the provincial level and the municipalities of Tublay in Benguet, Hungduan, Ifugao, Balbalan in Kalinga and Sagada in Mountain Province for the municipal category.

City Health Officer Dr. Rowena Galop said Baguio City garnered a rating of 97.8 percent based on the criteria of the national evaluation team for its second year CROWN maintenance award, thus, the city will be vying for the NHA next year if it will be able to sustain its gains in the implementation of the appropriate nutrition programs and interventions beneficial to the residents of the city’s 128 barangays.

Galpo expressed her gratitude to the barangay nutrition scholars, barangay nutrition action officers, barangay health workers, barangay officials, education officials, city officials, concerned government agencies, the private sector and other stakeholders for their unwavering and uncompromising commitment in supporting the implementation of the necessary interventions that will improve the practice of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle among the residents that contributed in reducing malnutrition and under nutrition among pre-school and school-aged children as well as adults.

However, she admitted that one of the major challenges being encountered by nutrition advocates in the city is the continuous increase in obesity among children and adults wherein the Cordillera remains to be in the top two regions where obesity is reportedly prevalent, thus, the need for health workers and nutrition advocates to work double time in educating the people on the sustained practice of good nutrition and healthy lifestyle.

Papey said Tublay town in Benguet is another recipient of the CROWN award. She said it is Tublay's sixth year of being awarded the CROWN award. For this, Tublay will receive P500,000 and a plaque of recognition.

Baguio City will also receive its second CROWN award this year. The city garnered a rating of 97.8 percent from the national evaluation team. Baguio will get P200,000 and a plaque of recognition.

The NNC in Cordillera will also confer the Green Banner Award on Benguet province for the nutritional achievement of Hungduan town. Other Green Banner Awardees are Ifugao, Balbalan town in Kalinga province, and Sagada town in Mountain Province.

The NNC had conceptualized the awards to recognize the efforts of local government units in improving the nutritional status of children in their communities, and good governance practices in the implementation of their nutrition programs.