Capitol awards outstanding LGUs in Nutrition Program

By Ian C. Espada

The Municipality of Calinog topped this year's Search for Nutrition Program Implementation.

The awarding was held last July 29, 2005 at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol to higlight the closing ceremony of the Nutrition Month 2005.

Calinog Vice Mayor Rene Hortada, who represented Mayor Alex Centena, said their nutrition program was implemented in 1995 while the Municipal Nutrition Council was activated in 2003.

He said backyard gardening was introduced in the community using organic fertilizer in raising vegetables and other crops.

Hortada said their advocacy became successful and he attributed this success to the full cooperation and active involvement of school principals, barangay captains and members of their Municipal Nutrition Council.

He also challenged other municipalities “to actively implement the nutrition program in their municipality not only to reap an award but also as a way to eliminate malnutrition in their respective locality in particular and in the whole province in general.”

The Municipality of Concepcion, on the other hand, was awarded as 1 st runner up in the said search and followed by municipalities of New Lucena, 2 nd runner up; Sta. Barbara, 3 rd runner up; Tigbauan, 4 th runner up; and Janiuay, 5 th runner up.

The winners received plaques and cash awards. Calinog got P10,000; Concepcion, P7,000; New Lucena, P5,000; Sta. Barbara, P4,000 and Tigbauan and Janiuay with P3,000 and P2,000, respectively.

Brgy. Lubog, Tigbuan was awarded as Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Committee. It received P5,000 cash prize.

The Municipality of Batad was also cited as Nutritionally Improved Municipality and also got P5,000 cash award.

A special award was also extended to the Municipality of Tigbauan for hosting the nutrition month culmination and launching of Milk Supplementation Program.

A recognition was also given to Emelina Tanlogon of Brgy. Lubog, Tigbauan as an Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar for 25 years.

She said it was already her 25 th award since she started her voluntary mission in support in the implementation of nutrition program of Tigbauan and the province.

Aside from being a BNS, she is also a member of Barangay Health Worker (BHW) and Barangay Service Point Office (BSPO).

With her 25 th award, Tanlogon said, she's thinking of retiring from service since she had already proven her worth in the community.

She rallied her fellow volunteer workers to be sincere in promoting the nutrition program in their respective localities to uphold the goal of the provincial government in eliminating malnutrition in the province.

Tanlogon also received a plaque and P5,000 cash incentives. (Capitol News)