MORE NEWS, MOUNTAIN PROVINCE

US-based doctor gives pointers on living well

BONTOC, Mountain Province -- “If you want to see your daughters get married, eat a balanced and nutritious diet.”

This was the message of Dr. Marcy Leeds-Padchonga to 120 barangay health workers of this capital town on nutrition and healthy living recently at the Ridgebrooke Hotel and Restaurant.

Padchonga is a registered dietician and a professor at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania, US.

Her first lecture “Filipinos take it to heart” was on raising awareness of heart diseases in
Filipino communities because according to her, heart disease is the number 1 cause of death in the Philippines.

There are two types of risk factors for heart disease. The first type includes the ones that you cannot change like age, gender and heredity. The second type of risk factors can be changed to include high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, smoking, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity, and diabetes.

She also talked on nutrition for children, pregnancy, older adults and those with chronic diseases.

Eating right and being physically active are not just a “diet” or a “program”, they are keys to a healthy lifestyles he said.

Healthful habits may reduce the risk of many chronic diseases which includes heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity and certain cancers. It also increases the chances for a longer life.

Dr. Marcy encouraged participants to make smart choices from every food group. She said the best way to give the body balanced nutrition it needs is by eating a variety of nutrient-packed foods everyday and staying within the calorie needs.

A healthy eating plan is one that emphasizes on fruits, vegetables, whole grains and fat-free or low fat milk and milk products. And also one that is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

Earlier at the town plaza, Padchonga and her husband Jessie donated 17 digital BP apparatus to be used in different barangays of Bontoc.

Mayor Franklin Odsey received the gadgets and turned these over to barangay captains and Midwives who attended the flag-raising.

Padchonga’s husband hails from Chao-ey, Bontoc Ili. -- Gwyncel Kay Bacwaden


P2 million budget set for Mountain Province literacy projects; awardees named

BONTOC, Mountain Province – The Provincial School Board recently approved the 2009 budget for the Special Education Fund amounting to P1,920,000.00.

To attain the province’s goal of eradicating illiteracy, the Board chaired by Gov. Maximo B. Dalog allotted P500,000 for honoraria of Alternative Learning System (ALS) facilitators.

P60,000 was set for honoraria of 3 MISOSA (Modified In-School-Out-School Approach) para-teachers covering June 2009 to March 2010. P25,000 was appropriated for the SPED; P75,000 for Farmers Field School; P50,000 for literacy and livelihood; P40,000 for A & E review materials and supplies and P30,000 for basic literacy modules.

The total amount of 305,000 was set as aid for school activities like Super Quiz Bee, Sci-DAMATH, DAMATH, Math Fair and Quiz, Science Fair and Quiz, NAMCYA/SAYAWIT, Rizal Quiz Bee, and STEP competition.

Another P100,000 was also appropriated s registration fee for participants in the DepEd’s regional yearly regional press conference.

Others include P120,000 as aid to the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association; P25,000 for the delegation to the Provincial Meet; P95,000 for treasury tax projects and programs; P20,000 for survey of school sites and P475,000 for miscellaneous expenses.

Meanwhile, The Regional Literacy Coordinating Council and the Alternative Learning System Division recently awarded a plaque of recognition to Dalog for his support to ALS projects.

Other awardees of Mt. Province were Magdalena Lupoyon, Barlig town mayor who ranked second in the search for the Outstanding Local Government Units under the category of Municipal Level Class B.

The “outstanding local government award” is given to a local government unit which developed policies, programs and projects conducive to literacy development and which have made a positive impact on barangays and quality of life of the people.

Edden Sallongen of Sadanga and Jenny Liwaliw were awarded in the search for the most outstanding Mobile Teacher while Oraline Eddas of Barlig was awarded in the search for the most outstanding district ALS coordinator category.-- Juliet B. Saley