2011 NUTRITION AWARDS Region7 PH results

2011 NUTRITION AWARDS Region7 PH results are shown below with a briefer of each project/program implemented by municipalities, LGUs and the like across region 7 in the Philippines. These were duely recognized by the National Nutrition Council Region 7 recently, in its culminating activities as part of the Nutrition Month 2011:


Good Nutrition Project/Practices in the Region
*Cebu Province – Ensuring Capacity of Nutrition Workers thru Policy Issuance

*Tagbilaran City – “Micronutrient Supplementation in the Workplace”
The Tagbilaran City Government under the leadership of its City Nutrition Committee Chairperson, Mayor Dan N. Lim initiated the “Micronutrient in the Workplace Project” in Bohol Quality Corporation. The project aims to contribute to the overall health and nutritional well-being of women of reproductive age and their children thru increased micronutrient supplementation coverage and contribute to the efficiency and productivity of employees. BQ Mothers were given initial doses of iron with folic acid supplements from CHO and DOH/PHO. The rest of the supplies can be purchased from BQ Pharmacy thru salary deduction scheme. Counseling with prenatal check up with Company Midwife and seminars on micronutrient supplementation were regularly conducted. A2Z, PRISM, IMAP Bohol Chapter, Bohol PHO and DOH-CHD7 also supported the project.

Basing on their initial results, 85.7% of the women employees had improved hemogolbin status to normal level resulting to less tardiness, less absence, more efficient and more productive BQ Workers.

*BAIS City – “Free Ozonized Water for Indigent People”
Due to the rising population leading to congestion and urban pollution, diarrheal cases loom over the City’s economic progress and social development. Saddened by the report that most of those afflicted with diarrhea are the indigent class and burdened with insurmountable expenses of the city to purchase medicines for diarrhea, the local government led by its City Nutrition Committee Chairperson, Mayor Karen F. Villanueva formulated a strategy to address the present health problem. The Php2 Million project called the “Free Ozonized Water for Indigent People of Bais City” provides free distilled drinking water to senior citizens and indigent household as assessed by the City Social Welfare and Development Office with the City Health Office as the managing department.

Study showed that an ozonizer machine processes a safer water by reducing bacterial contamination. The City Health Office also launched a massive education campaign to better implement this project by means of lectures regarding proper hand washing, waste disposal and good hygiene.

After a year of implementing this project, diarrheal cases dramatically dropped from 265 in 2009 to 180 in 2010.

*CEBU CITY – “Accelerated Social Amlioration Program (ASAP) for Nutrition”
The Accelerated Social Amilioration Program (ASAP) for Nutrition of the City of Cebu is a form of taxation that targets patrons of business establishments that are identified as potential contributors to a social malady in one form or another. The project aims to correct this imbalance in priorities while at the same time give a golden opportunity to patrons of said establishments to contribute to the amelioration and alleviation of a deteriorating social condition such as hunger and homelessness besetting the City.

These Patrons include business establishments of night clubs, casinos and other gaming establishments, fighting cockpits, karaoke clubs, massage parlors, beerhouses, motels and drive-ins and discotheques. With a measly sum of (10) Ten pesos, each patron contributes to a trust fund that would go to feeding programs, Halfway Houses, School-based food production and Gardening, skills development and Empowerment and medical and Health Missions.

This program greatly helped in decreasing the malnutrition rate of the City from 5.68% in 2009 to 4.37% in 2010.

*Mandaue City – “Nutrisyon, Sugilanon og Segregasyon”
The Mandaue City Nutrition Committee (CNC) under the able leadership of its Chairperson, Mayor Jonas Cortes continues to find means to improve the nutritional status of the children in the City. Committed in promoting vegetables, fruits and other nutritious food in every part of the menu of the family, a resolution was passed by the Mandaue City Council declaring February of every year as Vegetable Awareness Month. Not stopping there, the CNC Continues all year round in promoting the consumption of vegetables, fruits and other nutritious foods.

In 2010, the Community and Garden Backyard Contest, which was started in 2009, attracted more households and almost all barangays participants. The LGU thru the efforts and almost all barangays participated. The LGU thru the efforts of the City Mayor increased the incentive for this food production activity. The CNC promoted the planting and consumption of camote as snacks in day care centers. Mothers of the day care children are involved in the preparation of these nutritious snacks which include camote patties and camote juice.

Alongside the promotion of fruit, vegetable and camote consumption, garbage segregation and composting was done as well. The organic waste collected from the city was used to make organic soil that could be used as compost for the backyard gardening. On top of this, a wellness awareness caravan was done to disseminate health and nutrition information in a form community assembly done in schools and communities. The caravan includes Pabasa or Story Telling with the children.

All of these efforts contributed to Mandaue City’s malnutrition rate reduction of 3.32% in 2008 to 2.88% in 2009 and 2.7% in 2-010.

Outstanding Province in the Region – Bohol Province – “Valuing Nutrition Structures to sustain Nutrition Improvement”
The Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) headed by Hon.Edgar M. Chato, the provincial governor continuously strengthened the PNC, as well as the Municipal & Barangay Nutrition Committees to sustain nutrition program implementation for nutrition improvement down to the purok level. In addition to regular nutrition related activities conducted by PNC member agencies, other activities include the Infant Young Child Feeding (80% of the barangays conducted), development of height board for the 47 LGUs, Bahay Kubo – FAITH, Gulayan sa Paaralan, RAPID (Rice Assistance Program for Institutionalized Development), & Organic Agriculture implemented province wide.

The designation of Municipal Nutrition Coordinators as additional nutrition workers in each LGU was institutionalized in 2010. In the same year, the Provincial government provided MNAO honorarium every month. In every barangay there is one Barangay Nutrition Scholar that works hand-in-hand with other barangay-based volunteer workers, the BHW & BALA.

The concerted efforts of the PNC of Bohol brought a reduction in the prevalence of malnutrition from 9.01% in 2008 to 8.12% in 2009 (IRS). The downward trend was sustained in 2010 at 6.73% (CGS).

Outstanding City in the Region – TOLEDO CITY – “Holistic Approach to Eradicate Hunger and Malnutrition”
With the partnership and linkages with the private sector and people’s organization, DepEd, DENR and other government agencies, Toledo City led by its City Nutrition Committee Chair, Mayor Aurelio P. Espinosa has provided a more meaningful and holistic approach in eradicating hunger and malnutrition. The launching of the Kabilin Project is a mayor milestone that solidify the city’s position to improve the status of less-fortunate Toledanos. It promoted food and fiber production, nurtured the fragile environment and at the same time provided livelihood opportunities that enhance dignity and honor of the community.

Indeed, this project contributed to the reduction of the prevalence of malnutrition in Toledo City from 3.42% in 2008 to 2.29% in 2009 and 2.09% in 2010.

Outstanding Municipality in the Region – Jagna Bohol – “Sustainable Programs for Malnutrition Reduction”
Home of the Best “Kalamay”, the municipality of Jagna, Bohol led by its Municipal Nutrition Committee chairperson Mayor Fortunato R. Abrenila is also becoming known for its Nutrimix production. A mixture of grounded rice, mongo, native chocolate, powdered milk and sugar, the mixture is used in their supplementary feeding programs. What used to be a production for their own local consumption, the project is slowly becoming an economic enterprise that it now funds other nutrition activities of the municipality. The Municipal and Barangay Nutrition Gardens also ensured that every family have food to eat in their tables.

These efforts contributed to the decreasing malnutrition rate of the municipality from 8.54% in 2009 (IRS) to 4.35% in 2010 (CGS).

LAPU LAPU CITY – 2nd Year (2010) CROWN Maintenance Nominee
TUBIGON, BOHOL – 1st Year (2010) CROWN Maintenance Nominee
INABANGA, BOHOL – Nutrition Honor Maintenance Award
TALIBON, BOHOL – Nutrition Honor Maintenance Award
CALAPE, BOHOL – Nutrition Honor Maintenance Award
DUMAGUETE CITY – Most Promising City in the Region
ZAMBOANGUITA, NEGROS ORIENTAL – Most Promising Municipality in Negros Oriental
VALENCIA, BOHOL – Most Promising Municipality in Bohol
MS. LIDIA I. GABAISEN – Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar

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Nutrition Month Culminating Activities

In pursuit of excellence and recognition to its constituents, the National Nutrition Council recently initiated the Presentation of 2011 Regional Nutrition Awardees w/c is part of the culminating activities of the 37th Nutrition Month celebration which include 7th Regional Nutrition Action Officers’ Congress and 2011 Grand Nutrition Awards at Cebu Parklane Hotel.

Through this event, they recognized and gave credit to the best nutrition efforts to our unsung heroes, the barangay health workers, scholars, action planners, government officials and volunteers as well.

A lot of these programs were and still are being implemented by various local government units last year. The evaluation covered four provinces, 15 cities, 16 municipalities and 102 barangays within and across the Region VII of the Philippines.

It was not only a day of recognition, but also that of fellowship amongst Nutrition Advocates across the Region. The 2011 Regional Nutrition Awardees was also witnessed by Media, Media Information Network on Nutrition 7 (MIND7) and Bloggers, as well as mayors, governors, public officials, and nutrition officers of the four provinces in the region.

Congratulations and Thank you for sharing your Best Practices!

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How to celebrate Nutrition Month 2011 & promote BREASTFEEDING TSEK

So it's Nutrition Month but do you have any idea as to how to celebrate it? Do you tell your friends about it? Or email them some FAQs? Anyway, seen below are some ways to celebrate Nutrition Month 2011 and promote BREASTFEEDING TSEK?

The promotion, protection and support to breastfeeding to ensure TSEK can be done in various settings:
a. Families/Communities
• Report violations of the Milk Code to the Department of Health to prevent unregulated marketing of formula milk which threatens to undermine the practice of breastfeeding. Health and nutrition workers and health facilities must not be used to promoting breastfeeding. There must be no milk company-supported activities. Remove marketing materials of formula milk in health facilities.
• Create local media watch monitor Milk Code violations and report to the Department of Health.
• Volunteer as breastfeeding peer counselor. Help other mothers to become successful in breastfeeding and in giving appropriate complementary feedings after 6 months. Peer counselors are mothers who have had successful breastfeeding experiences and provide peer-to-peer counseling to other mothers with difficulties in breastfeeding and complementary feeding practices. In some areas, there are male volunteers who help advocate for breastfeeding as well provide counseling to mothers, fathers, and other family members to create a supportive family environment for appropriate infant and young child feeding practices. Ask your midwife, nutrition action officer and other health and nutrition personnel in your community.
• From support groups in communities. Mother-to-mother support groups are women, and men too, who want to share their experiences in infant and young child feeding, mutually support each other through their own experiences, strengthen or modify certain attitudes and practices and learn from each other.
• Protect breastfeeding even during emergencies and disasters. Young infants are especially vulnerable during emergencies and disasters particularly to diarrhea, acute respiratory tract infections and malnutrition, breastfeeding reduces the risk of death up to six times during emergencies. The Milk Code does not allow donation of formula milk increases the risk to death and disease. There are many dangers of using formula milk – by itself formula milk is not sterile; unsafe when there is not enough clean water to sterilize feeding bottles and prepare the formula; water used may be contaminated; there may be no equipment, fuel, cooking pots, and water to sterilize feeding bottles; incorrect proportion of formula milk with water which can result to over or under-diluted formula; and formula milk does not protect against infections unlike breast milk. It is therefore best to be prepared during emergencies by having trained personnel on infant and young child feeding to be able to assist, support and counsel mothers to continue breastfeeding even during emergencies.
• Disseminate correct information about breastfeeding. Conducting seminars and other for a to discuss breastfeeding among mothers and also gathers together with the experts on breastfeeding. Many misconceptions about breastfeeding still exist which prevent mothers and their families to practice breastfeeding. Help correct these misconceptions by increasing awareness on correct breastfeeding practices.
• Family members can support breastfeeding mothers by building her confidence that she can and is able to breastfeed, help care for the baby so the mother can have enough rest; provide nutritious and balance meals; and give practical help. A supportive family and community environment increases the likelihood that the mother will initiate and continue to breastfeed.
• Pass local resolutions and ordinances that enforce the Milk Code, promote infant and young child feeding, establish lactation stations in barangay halls, markets and other places, providing budget for breastfeeding promotion, peer counseling and support groups.

b. Working Places
• Establish lactation stations in accordance with the Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act (RA 10028) wherein the lactations centers shall be adequately provided with the necessary equipment and facilities, such as: lavatory for handwashing, unless there is an easily-accessible lavatory nearby; refrigeration or appropriate cooling facilities for storing expressed breastmilk; electrical outlets for breast pumps; a small table; comfortable seats; and other items, the standards of which are defined by the Department of Health.
• Provide breastfeeding breaks for working mothers in addition to their regular breaks. The breastfeeding breaks should not be less than 40 minutes for every 8 hours of work.
• Enforce the two-month maternity leave or allow work-from-home scheme to enable the mother to continue exclusive breastfeeding.
• Do not allow any direct or indirect marketing, promotion or sales of infant formula or breastmilk substitutes within the workplace.
c. Health Facility
• Be certified as a Mother-Baby Friendly Hospital (MBFH). Follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Implement the Essential Newborn Care Protocol. Train Health Facility staff on lactation management. Contact the center for Health Development in your region for details on the MBFH certification.
• Provide pre-and post-natal services for pregnant and lactating women to support mothers top breastfeed their child.
• Set-up milk banks or milk storage and pasteurization facilities for breastmilk donated by mothers. The milk shall be given to infants in the neonatal intensive care unit whose own mothers are seriously ill.
• Provide continuing education, re-education and training of health workers including doctors, nurses, midwives, nutritionist-dietitians on current and updated lactation management. Health workers must be able to provide correct information and support for breastfeeding.
• Produce and distribute information materials on breastfeeding for distribution to mothers in addition to breastfeeding counseling.
• Refer breastfeeding mothers prior to discharge from the health facility, to breastfeeding support groups in the community to help them continue breastfeeding when they return home.
d. Schools
• Integration of infant and young child feeding in the curriculum. The Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority are tasked to integrate in the relevant subjects in the elementary, high school and college levels, especially in the medical and education, the importance, benefits, methods or techniques of breastfeeding and change of societal attitudes towards breastfeeding.
• Enforcement of Milk Code in schools. Schools must not allow any marketing including sponsorship from milk companies within the school. Schools must not also accept donations of formula milk and breastmilk substitutes as this is against the Milk Code.
• Place posters, brochures and other information about breastfeeding in school-based health centers.
• Establish lactation stations in the school to enable teaching and non-teaching personnel to breastfeed or express and store breastmilk. Schools are also considered workplaces and therefore must comply with the provisions of RA 10028.
e. Industries/manufacturers
• Compliance to the milk code by milk companies. Strictly no marketing of products within the scope of the Milk Code.
• Fortify food that are mandated by RA8976 or the Food Fortification Law and Volunteer to fortify other food products.
Compliance to the Code Hygienic Practice for food for infants and Children of manufacturers in accordance to the proper handling of foods in the food chain. This will ensure that food products intended for infants and children are safe.

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Nutrition Month in a nutshell

What is Nutrition Month?
Nutrition Month is an annual event held every July in accordance with Presidential Decree no.291 known as the Nutrition Act of the Philippines which created the National Nutrition Council (NNC). The NNC coordinates the nationwide celebration. Each year the NNC comes up with a theme to call the nation’s attention and action on a particular issue.

What is the theme for the 2011 Nutrition Month?
The theme for the 2011 Nutrition month is “Isulong and BREASTFEEDING – Tama, Sapat, at EKsklusibo”. The theme focuses on key messages to ensure successful breastfeeding practices. The theme supports the department of health’s campaign on communication for behavioral impact on breastfeeding which is “Breastfeeding Tsek (Tama.Sapat.EKsklusibo).” The objective of this year’s nutrition month celebration is to encourage all sectors of society to help promote, protect and support correct breastfeeding practices.

What does BREASTFEEDING TSEK mean?
TSEK o Tama, Sapat at EKsklusibo means:
• “Tama” by immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby after birth, and initiation of breastfeeding within the first hour of life.
• “Sapat” by encouraging and assuring mothers that little breastmilk is enough for the first week and that frequent breastfeeding ensures continuous breast milk supply to respond to the increasing needs of the baby.
• “EKsklusibo” by giving only breastmilk and no other liquid to the baby for the first six months. Breastmilk has all the water and nutrients that the baby needs for the first six months after which the baby should be given appropriate complementary food while continuing breastfeeding.

What is the importance of BREASTFEEDING TSEK?
The protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding rank among the most effective interventions to improve child’s survival. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that high coverage of optimal breastfeeding practices could avert 13% of the 10.6 Million yearly deaths of children 5y.o. and below. Evidence on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and early initiation includes:
• Babies who were not breastfed in the first 6months of their lives are 25 times more likely to die that those who experience breastfeeding from the time they were born.
• The timing of initiation of breastfeeding is important as there is a higher risk of death among infants with longer delay in the initiation of breastfeeding.
• Hospitalized low birth weight infants who were fed with formula milk had 4 times incidence of serious illness compared to those infants who were breastfed.
• There is a 2-4 fold increase in neonatal mortality rate (NMR) in not receiving colostrums. There is a 5-13% decrease in NMR with exclusive breastfeeding.
• Breastfeeding not only saves babies from death, but also provides long-term benefits. Breastfed babies do better in school cognitive tests by as much as 4.9 points. There is a positive association of breastfeeding with educational attainment.

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