UNICEF launches nutrition campaign for parents
ROXAS CITY – Capiz Governor Victor Tanco recently led the launching of the advocacy campaign on nutrition.
Dubbed as “Kon Nakapamahaw sa Aga, Very Good ang Pag-eskwela,” the campaign is aimed at encouraging more parents to prepare breakfast for their children before sending them tso school.
The launching of said advocacy campaign was held at Aglalana Elementary School in Dumarao, Capiz which is one of the five disparity schools identified by members of the Provincial Technical Working Group here in the implementation of the Sixth Country Programme for Children.
Said effort has the funding support from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) while the program implementation is in partnership with the Department of Education, Philippine Information Agency and the Provincial Government of Capiz, particularly the Provincial Health Office and the Provincial Planning and Development Office.
Part of the launching of the nutrition campaign was the unveiling of a 6 feet long by 8 feet wide tarpaulin containing the localized information and education material which will be distributed to all public elementary schools in the province.
Records of Aglalana Elementary School during the opening of classes in June 2009 showed that 69 percent of the enrolled pupils from Grade 1 to Grade 6 are underweight.
Results from the focused group discussions conducted by CPC6 Communication Sector revealed that among the reasons for children not having breakfast are poverty, lack of rice, lack of information on what to serve to children as a substitute for rice, laziness of parents while other parents left the responsibility to the older children while they have to look for livelihood early in the morning.
Likewise, lack of information on the effects of absence of breakfast to children and its domino effect on the nutrition and scholastic performance were also included in the results of said discussion.
On the other hand, Tanco vowed to give full support in the campaign on health and nutrition with his rallying slogan “Labi sa Tanan and Tawo.”
The launching of the nutrition campaign was attended by Provincial Planning and Development Coordinator Antonio Asis who is also the CPC 6 Provincial Coordinator, Child Friendly School System Coordinator Allan Vincent Altamia of DepEd Capiz Division, Dumarao District Supervisor Nora Matayabas, Nutritionist/Dietitian Ma. Divina Bigcas of the Provincial Health Office and PPDO Knowledge Center Manager Wilar delos Santos. (PIA/Jemin B. Guillermo)
