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- Category: Region Caraga
This year , the country is celebrating the 37thNutrition Month. Section 7 of Presidential Decree No. 491 or Nutrition Act of the Philippines designates the month of July as Nutrition Month to create greater awareness among the people on the importance of nutrition.
The theme for this year’s celebration is “Isulong ang BREASTFEEDING- Tama, Sapat at EKslusibo!”. The theme focuses on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding as a strategy to promote nutrition and health among infants.
Last July 7-8, 2011,the NNC Staff served as the secretariat for the cooking contest and were made judges for the activity. There were 8 entries from the different divisions and Provincial Health Team Offices from CHD CARAGA. The 1stprize was from PHT Surigao del Sur with their winning dish “Fern (SSS) Sweet and Sour from Surigao Sur.” The 2ndprize was from CHD CARAGA ARD/RD division with their delicious “Crispy Fried Vegetable Spring Roll.” The 3rdprize was from PHT Surigao del Norte with their tasty “Vegetable Salad.”
During the DOH CHD CARAGA Press Conference held last July 13, 2011, the staff from NNC were able to disseminate the July 2011 Nutrition Month Theme to the broadcasters from Butuan City. Some of the NNC staff Ms. Mariecar S. Ometer (AA VI), Mary Nicole Aceron (NO I), Nancy C. Sarabosing (NO II) and Rowena C. Gomez (NO II) were tasked to be the secretariat for the presscon. Mr. Eugene A. Fernandez (AA III) documented the activity.
The Non-Com Health Team of CHD CARAGA had an activity on advocacy for anti-smoking, orientation on prohibited drugs and nutrition month theme dissemination to students from ANHS. Ms Gomez a NO II of NNC CARAGA was able to discuss the nutrition month theme to the students. After the lectures, the students were asked questions and were rewarded with small items. This proves that the students were really listening because they actively participated and won the prizes.
The NNC staff served also as a secretariat for the DOH-CHD CARAGA Nutritionist-Dietitian Updates on Nutrition and were able to participate on the workshop. The NNC staff were able to update themselves on the Essential Micronutrient Supplementation Package for Infants and Children and Updates on Milk Code. The NNC CARAGA staff joins CHD-CARAGA in their motorcade together with the regional agencies.
For this year, NNC CARAGA celebrated the nutrition month together with the BNS who serves as the front liners for nutrition. The activity aims to promote capability building and updates on nutrition which is very important for the continuing education for the BNSs and boost on their morale of these hardworking volunteers.
The activity was divided into two, 1st activity was for the BNS Forum which includes a discussion by Ms. Rowena C. Gomez, NO II on the Nutrition Month 2011 Theme: “Isulong ang BREASTFEEDING”: Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!. Another lecture by Dr. Grace M. Lim was on “Essential Newborn Care Protocol.” After every lectures, the participants were given trivia then if they answered correctly they were given tokens. In the afternoon was the culmination of the nutrition month which highlighted the talents of the BNS from the different provinces and cities through sing and dance competition.In Singing contest, First prize won by Surigao del Sur and Second prize from Agusan del Norte.In Dance competition,first place was from Agusan del Norte,Second won by Agusan del Sur and third was from Surigao del Sur.
NNC CARAGA staff Ms. Rowena C. Gomez(NO II), Ms. Nancy C. Sarabosing (NO II) and Ms. Nicole L. Aceron were invited to attend the Agusan del Sur BNS Summit and Nutrition Month Culmination last July 26, 2011. Ms. Rowena C. Gomez, NO II discussed on the Nutrition Month 2011 Theme: “Isulong ang BREASTFEEDING”: Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo!. Ms.Sarabosing and Ms. Aceron assisted on the awards of Outstanding Barangay Captain and OutstandingBNS of the province.The activity was held at Patin-ay, Posperidad, Agusan del Sur. NNC Caraga staff Mr. Chunching G. Tan (NO I) was invited to be the resource speaker for the Nutrion Month Celebration Culmination of Butuan Grace Christian School. He discuss about the Theme: “Isulong ang BREASTFEEDING”: Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo! for the children, teacher and parents. Advocating the nutrition month and emphasizing the Breastfeeding in the most appropriate approach that children, teacher and parents could appreciate the message of Good Nutrition and breastfeeding.
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- Category: Region Caraga
August 25 and 28, 2015, NNC Caraga conducted Campaign on Good Nutrition and Healthy Lifestyle among senior citizens, people with disabilities, indigenous people's group, law enforcers and personnel of correctional facilities at Baker's Joy Conference Hall, Butuan City.
The problem of malnutrition is still prevalent nationwide in the form of undernutrition, overnutrition and specific micronutrient deficiencies. Furthermore, the occurrence of non-communicable diseases is apparent nowadays, wherein overweight and obese individuals are in high risk particularly to hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and cardiovascular diseases, among others. This can be attributed to excessive intake of fatty foods, high consumption of sugar rich foods and salty foods. Physical inactivity and lack of exercise are also contributing factors to these diseases.
Educating the general public through mass campaign on good nutrition and healthy lifestyle is of prime importance in ensuring that basic knowledge on good nutrition and practice of healthy lifestyle are adopted, thus, leading to behaviour change and increase public’s consciousness and awareness on good nutrition. Good nutrition must be promoted not only focusing to the vulnerable groups like preschool, school children, pregnant women and lactating mothers; there are sectors in the society that needs to be targeted for good nutrition specifically the older person, people with disabilities and indigenous people’s group. On the other hand, the law enforcers and employees from correctional facilities were also participants of the campaign on good nutrition for them to be physical fit as well in order to perform their task to provide security and safety among the general public.
The topics focused merely on the importance of good nutrition and active and healthy lifestyle such as ten kumainments, healthy lifestyle programs, pinggang pinoy and belly gud program. Five keys on food safety of Department of Health were also promoted for safer water and food consumption.
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- Category: Region Caraga
The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), is the lead agency in food and nutrition research and development in the country. One of its missions is to provide innovative technologies to fight malnutrition. In Caraga Region, the municipality of Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte is a recipient of DOST PINOY (Package for the Improvement of Nutrition of Young Children). DOST PINOY is a component of Malnutrition Reduction Program which aims to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition among infants and young children. The local government’s counterpart for the said project is to provide building/space for the processing area, the needed manpower and ingredients/materials to produce the DOST-FNRI developed complementary food products.
To start up, the FNRI-DOST conducted a 2-day DOST PINOY training workshop in Gigaquit, Surigao Del Norte last March 25-26, 2015. The participants were volunteer health workers and barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) from different barangays. It was also participated by Ms. Leah Vina P. Vargas, Nutrition Officer I of National Nutrition Council Caraga and some of the regional DOST staff. The participants were trained on how to teach mothers and caregivers about basic nutrition, maternal nutrition and how to prepare Bigmo. Bigmo is a cheaper rice-mongo blend, a nutritious complementary DOST PINOY food product.
Appropriate complementary feeding and breastfeeding are discussed in the training. Breastfeeding is one of the best practices of good nutrition. Exclusive breastfeeding is done from birth up to the first six months of life. Complementary feeding starts after 6 months to meet the nutritional need of a growing child. Nutritious foods are added in the child’s diet while breastfeeding is continued. The participants also learned how to do affordable meal planning, backyard gardening and handling and preparing foods safely.
Ms. Vargas and DOST staff from different provinces were toured in the food processing plant. The facility will soon be opened to produce the DOST-FNRI developed complementary food products which can be availed by the neighboring municipalities, cities and provinces.
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- Category: Region Caraga
February 23, 2015, National Nutrition Council Caraga joins Department of Health in celebrating the Heart Month with the theme “Alagaan ang iyong Puso, ugaliin ang healthy lifestyle” in Almont Inland, Resort, Butuan City.
Hypertension and diseases of the heart are among the ten leading causes of illnesses in the Philippines each year. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. Like cancers, chronic respiratory diseases and diabetes, CVDs are among the top killers in the Philippines, causing more than half of all deaths annually and generally contribute to decreased human productivity and national economic growth retardation. These diseases are collectively known as Lifestyle Related Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) because they have common risk factors which are related to unhealthy lifestyle and eating habits.
Unhealthy lifestyle includes drinking alcoholic beverages, smoking and inactivity. Excessive drinking increased the risk for high blood pressure, heart diseases and can also lead to liver diseases. Aside from the health risks, alcohol contains calories and enhances your appetite and will make you eat more. Smoking increases risk of heart disease (which accounts for 35 to 40% of all smoking-related deaths), emphysema, cancer, stroke, asthma, lung infections, and dementia. Decreased physical activity due to the sedentary nature of many forms of work, changing modes of transportation, increasing urbanization; and increased intake of foods that are high in fat, salt, and sugars but are low in vitamins, minerals, and essential nutrients can cause overweight and obesity. Overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health.
Department of Health together with the National Nutrition Council intensified the health promotion on prevention and control of chronic lifestyle related NCDs to effect changes that would lead to significant reduction in mortality and morbidity due to lifestyle related NCDs.
The Health Month Celebration has conducted various activities which includes cholesterol and sugar level taking, weight and waist circumference measurement, bloodletting and interactive lecture discussion on smoking, orientation on Package of Essential Non-communicable disease interventions (PEN), obesity and overweight and coronary artery diseases. Ms. Rowena C. Gomez, Nutrition Officer II of NNC Caraga also introduced the 10 Kumainments and Mang Moi or Moises Dalisay, who handed down the 10 Kumainments and the campaign character that was patterned after Moises of the bible.
The program was ended with open-forum and zumba exercise led by DOH and NNC Caraga Staff.
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- Category: Region Caraga
The Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos are recommendations to promote good health through proper nutrition. The goal of the 2012 NGF is the improvement of the nutritional status, productivity and quality of life of the population, through adoption of desirable dietary practices and healthy lifestyle.
As part of its Gender and Development (GAD) activity and in partnership with the National Nutrition Council-Caraga, the Philippine Port Authority conducted the NGF Forum and Breastfeeding Advocacy. During the opening remarks, Engr. Ronaldo C. Montero pointed out that most of the employees were very interested in learning about healthy food choices since they have a history of hypertension and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Ms. Retsebeth M. Laquihon was the guest speaker during the forum. She discussed on the history of the NGF, statistics on fruit and vegetable consumption in the Philippines, information on mortality and morbidity statistics and the 10 Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos. After the lecture, Ms. Leah Vina P. Vargas led the open forum in which the PPA employees asked several questions. She also facilitated the raffle in which she asked several questions regarding the NGF.
After the forum was the consultative meeting with PPA officials and representatives of shipping services to explore partnership on maintenance of established breastfeeding area in the port terminal and in establishment of breastfeeding corner in passenger ships. The Nasipit Port Terminal already has a family room with breastfeeding area. Part of the discussion included possibility of NNC Caraga providing IEC materials such as breastfeeding posters, flyers and fans. It was also agreed that PPA and NNC will meet with owners and representatives of passenger ships Cokaliong Shipping Lines and 2Go Shipping on May 8, 2014 to coordinate for the campaign of NGF and breastfeeding promotion in passenger ship through posting of NGF posters and stickers and establishment of breastfeeding corner.
In the afternoon, the group went to Nasipit Port Terminal to check out the established breastfeeding area in the designated Family Room. The port terminal manager met with the group and joined in the inspection of the facility. There was a lactating mother breastfeeding her baby during the team’s visit. The group discussed on the improvements that could be made such as use of logbook for those mothers who enter the area, posting of BF posters and BF booklets and installation of NGF billboards in port terminals
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- Category: Region Caraga
Mitigation of hunger and malnutrition is a foremost concern during emergencies. The nutrition cluster should link with other cluster and establish capacities at all levels. For this purpose, the National Nutrition Council-Caraga conducted the Regional Nutrition in Emergency training at Almont Inland Resort on March 17-20, 2015. Around 30 participants attended the training, composed of members of the Regional Nutrition Cluster, Provincial Nutrition Action Officers and Provincial Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) Coordinators. The resource persons and facilitators of the training were Office of Civil Defense-XIII staff Ms. Lorene S. Catedral, Department of Health HEMS staff Mr. Richard M. Maniago and NNC staff Ms. Retsebeth M. Laquihon and Ms. Nancy C. Sarabosing.
The training covered four modules on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Service Provider, the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Trainer, and the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Manager. The four-day training covered lectures, workshops and practical demonstrations during the first two days while the remaining time was allotted to the nutrition cluster contingency planning workshop.
The issues and concerns brought up during the training were the source of therapeutic food, distribution of MUAC tapes to the nutrition cluster respondents, institutionalization of the community management of acute malnutrition and composition of the general food distribution. The participants were also able to provide output on the contingency plan which will be integrated to the regional contingency plan with the Office of Civil Defense.
