City’s nutrition programs avert malnutrition problems
The Bacolod City Government’s various nutrition programs, implemented by the Department of Social Services and Development and the Urban Basic Services Division, helped combat malnutrition problems among preschoolers and elementary school children in various parts of the city.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia said that the city government’s continued supplemental feeding programs in day care centers and public elementary schools benefited at least 5,387 underweight preschoolers last year while 1,706 school children in the public elementary schools were placed under the Nutripan program to combat iron deficiency. Other nutrition program enhancements for preschoolers included deworming and Vitamin A supplementation.
Leonardia thanked the various civic groups and non-governmental organizations who partnered with the city government in launching supplementary feeding programs that benefited 3,593 children from 14 barangays last year. The mayor said that the government and private feeding programs have helped most of the beneficiaries reach their normal weight after a few months.
He also congratulated Barangays Handumanan, Mansilingan and Granada who were the top three best implementers of the city’s nutrition program.
The mayor also noted that the exemplary implementation of the various nutrition programs made Bacolod a constant awardee of the Green Banner Award given by the National Nutrition Council. Bacolod City was a recipient last year of the CROWN (Constant Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition) Award.
