Event Geek

The whole nation will celebrate the 2012 Nutrition Month this July. With the theme “Pagkain ng gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain!”, the objectives of the 38thmonth-long observance are to: a. increase vegetable consumption as part of a healthy diet to address micronutrient deficiencies and non‐communicable diseases; b. promote vegetable gardening as a source of additional food and income; and c. increase demand for vegetables to help local vegetable farmers.

The National Nutrition Council 7 thru the Regional Nutrition Committee, the Cebu City Nutrition Council and the Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development 7 spearheads the regional celebration. Several activities have been lined up for the celebration this month. Please see attached. One of the kick-off activities is the “Vegetable Hour”- a simultaneous planting of vegetables region-wide in homes, communities, schools, day care centers, hospitals and prisons on 02 July 2012 at 8:00-9:00 a.m. This would be done in four (4) key areas including Mabolo Elementary School for the school setting, V. Sotto Memorial Medical Center for the hospital setting, Barangay Mambaling, Cebu City for the community and Operation Second Chance for prison.

The Nutri-Chef Challenge was initiated by the National Nutrition Council 7, Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development 7 with Cebu City Nutrition Committee which was held last 23 April 2012 at the Plaza Sugbu, Cebu City. During the launch last year, during the opening of Nutrition Month celebration organized by the National Nutrition Council in Central Visayas (NNC-7) at SM City Cebu, the nutri-chef challenge is implemented at the barangay level through the barangay nutrition scholars, said NNC-7 regional coordinator Dr. Letlet Mission.

“Most of the children don’t like vegetables. This is our way of promoting the nutritious food (vegetables) among the children who are easily attracted to commercials endorsing junk food and other non-nutritious food,” said Dr. Mission.


Criteria of Judging: 
palatibilty (25%), use of nutritious ingredients (25%), originality (20%), visual appeal (15%), and ease of preparation (15%). The board of judges was composed of Ms. Josie F. Elli, Senior Science Research Specialist of DOST 7 who was also the chairperson, Ms. Trinidad R. Sumalinog, RND, Canteen Concessioner & food entrepreneur, and Mr. Marlou Almasco, Sous Chef from Golden Prince Hotel.

Nutri-Chef Challenge 2012 Sponsors: 

•  Lactobiotics 
• Worldwide Corporation; 
•  Salinas Foods, Inc.; 
• Meat magic; 
• Miller hospital; 
• Marc and mattheau’s catering and services; 
• Department of Agriculture 7; 
• Golden Prince Hotel 

About Nutri-Chef Challenge: 
“Nutri-Chef Challenge” is a cooking contest designed to promote vegetable recipes among the children. The challenge involves cooking contests with green, leafy vegetables as the main ingredients. A panel of judges that includes a local nutritionist will select the top three contestants during the contest.A group of children will taste the recipes of the top three contestants to determine the winner.


Nutri-Chef ChallengeWinners: 
Ms. Regina Mercedes Lingaolingao’s Mixed Vegetable Omelet got the judges’ nod and won the coveted first prize during the Regional Vegetable Recipe Development Contest cook-off. Her winning recipe with squash, carrots, chayote, malungay and egg as main ingredients bested all the other seven finalists. She took home with Php10,000.00 cash prize and gift packs. The judges gave her and her recipe a score of 91.67%.

Winning Recipe

Garnering second place was Ms. Teresita Flordeliz’s “Sautéed Vegetables with Fish” with a score of 86.33%. Winning third place was Ms. Teresa Carabuena-Dizon’s “Vegetable Bola-Bola Rolled in Biscuit Crumbs” with a score of 83.67%. Winners for the second and third place received Php8,000.00 and Php6,000.00 plus gift packs, respectively. Consolation prizes of Php2,000.00 and gift packs each were given to other contestants.

Vegetable Bola-bola!

The organizers also gave out Special Awards, namely; the Super Saver’s Award and the Children’s Choice Award. The Super Saver’s Award, an award given to the recipe with the least total cost per serving was cornered by Ms. Roxanne Charity Lingaolingao for her Creamy Mix Vegetables with Dried Dilis. On the other hand, the Children’s Choice Award, based on the recipe garnering the highest smiley points given by the 5 children judges, was awarded to Ms. Florentina Bulgado with her recipe Tortang Kapayas.

The winning recipes will be compiled into a recipe book that will be printed for distribution to beneficiaries of the government’s Pantawid Pamilya or the Conditional Cash Transfer program administered by the DSWD as a way for NNC to contribute to improved nutrition of poorest families. The recipe book will also be distributed to local nutrition workers as an IEC material for helping families improve their meals and develop healthy food intake.

For photos of the event, please do share and visit: http://www.facebook.com/NutritionAdvocatesPH

The Barangay Nutrition Scholars will converge in the CCP of the South (Luce Auditorium, Silliman University) on 07-08 November 2011 for their 7th Regional BNS Congress.

The Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) coming from the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor will converge at the magnificent Claire Isabel Luce Auditorium of Silliman University. Considered as the Cultural Center of the South, the Luce Auditorium will be the venue of the 7th Regional Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) Congress on 07 – 08 November 2011. The Congress which is now in its 7th year is organized by the National Nutrition Council Region VII thru the Federation of Barangay Nutrition Scholars’ Association of Region VII (FeBaNuSA 7).  This year’s event will have an inspiring theme “Developing Capacities of BNS to Overcome Challenges".  Congresswoman Jocelyn S. Limkaichong of the 1st District of Negros Oriental was invited to grace the event as the Keynote speaker.

This annual gathering of front-line nutrition workers is done to update BNSs with new information vital to their professional growth in carrying out health and nutrition services in the grassroots level and promote camaraderie among BNSs. Topics lined up include: How Safe is Your Food? to be tackled by Silliman University’s Michelle A. Naranjo, Community Health Team and the Role of BNS by Dr. Ma. Socorro M. Entera of DOH-CHD 7 and Strengthening the Capacities of BNSs, the Cebu Province Experience by Ms. Dhaianne S. Laborte. The participants will also discuss matters affecting their association including the proposed Magna Carta for BNS.

Aside from the congress proper, the Mutya ng BNS 2011 would also highlight the 2 days event. The different cities and provinces of Region 7 would have their representatives who would be vying for the Mutya ng BNS 2011 Crown. Ms. Rowena Bautista Dilao of Cebu City, the 2010 reigning Mutya ng BNS will turn over the crown to the next Mutya who will continue the role as Ambassador of Goodwill for BNSs region-wide. The Mutya ng BNS is done to showcase the talents and develop the versatility of BNSs.

The Congress is co-sponsored by Silliman University thru the Nutrition and Dietetics Department and City of Dumaguete.

Source: Nutrition Advocates - MIND 7

There will be a Media Presentation of 2011 Regional Nutrition Awardees at 1:00 p.m. on 05 August 2011 (Friday) at the Cebu Parklane International Hotel, Cebu City.

The Regional Nutrition Committee thru the inter-agency Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team will present to Cebu media the results of their findings after evaluating and doing validation visits to the 4 provinces, 15 cities, 16 municipalities and 102 barangays in the region to select the Outstanding Province, City and Municipality in Central Visayas and the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar.

The Media Presentation 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.

This is NNC 7’s way of updating nutrition officials and workers on current trends and issues in nutrition program implementation and recognizing exemplary local government units and front line nutrition workers that contributed significantly to the nutrition improvement and development in their respective communities. This will be participated in by nutrition action officers coming from the Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental and Siquijor and the 16 cities of Region VII.

Students present in Support of the Nutrition Month Launch at SM Event Centre

The (NNC-7) National Nutrition Council 7, together with MIND-7~ Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development and partners launched yesterday the 2011 nutrition month with the theme "Isulong ang breastfeeding - tama. Sapat, at Eksklusibo" which encourages all sectors of society to help promote, protect, and support breastfeeding practices.

Lactation Stations in the workplace MOA was recently launched by Mandaue City and the Mandue Chamber of Commerce and Industries (MCCI) together with the National Nutrition Council for the establishment of lactation or breastfeeding stations in workplaces throughout Mandaue City in Support of the RA 10028: Expanded Breast Feeding Promotion Act of 2009!

Maria Flores, DOH Asst. SEc., Exec.Director IV NNC; Eric Ng Mendoza, MCCI President and Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes, Present during the MOA Signing. Department of Health Assistant Secretary, Maria The MOA, the first of its kind in the entire Philippines and is a milestone for the nutrition and health industry. The MOA aims to have linkages with families, organizations and other stakeholders to give working mothers the chance to practice proper breastfeeding while at work.

Philippines is 1 of 42 countries that account for 90% of deaths of under 5 y.o globally. Breastfeeding ranks the most effective interventions to improve child's survival, adding that World Health Organization estimated that optimal breastfeeding practices could avert 13% of 10.6 million deaths yearly. The MOA is geared towards "Private Public Partnership or PPP" that will ensure its effectiveness. Mandaue was Mayor Jonas Cortes supports the MOA in support of a mother-friendly community.

"We all need to acknowledge that we are part of the problem and that we are also part of the solution" -Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes

"Establishment of Lactation Stations in Workplace reduces Healthcare Costs and boosts Employee Moral & Retention"-Eric Ng Mendoza

The National Nutrition Council VII will launch the Breastfeeding Rally as the opening of the Nutrition Month 2011. There will also be a MOA Signing between NNC 7, the Mandaue Chamber of Commerce and the Local Government Unit of Mandaue on the setting up of breastfeeding stations in the workplace.

The Nutrition Month 2011 will also feature the following activities:

“BREASTFEEDING EVERYWHERE”

-Photo Exhibition Opening Ceremony (10:30 AM | Mosaic Area, Lower Ground Floor, SM City)
-MOA Signing and Press Conference (11:30 AM | Cabalen Restaurant, North Wing, SM City)
-Breastfeeding Rally (1:30 PM | SM Event Center)

A Nutrition advocacy group called (MIND-7: Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development for region 7) was recently launched and also had it's general assembly at Harold's Hotel, Cebu City. The Media Information Network for Nutrition and Development-VII presented their purpose and objective to create a media network that would help sustain efforts for nutrition advocacy and promotion.

Parolita Mission, NNC-7 director, revealed that this year’s Nutrition Month, which is in July, will revolve around the theme “Isulong ang breastfeeding. Tama. Sapat. Ekslusibo,” or in short “BF TSEk.” DYLA station manager Jun Tagalog stands as it's current president with the other officers showed series of activities that include a region-wide information campaign to promote breastfeeding, appropriate feeding, improve hygienic practices including proper hand washing, establishment of home gardens and Ten Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos and the like activities.

The newly created group is composed of legitimate media practitioners from print, television, radio, social media community with a mission to establish a regional information and documentation network to serve as a “vehicle to strengthen the flow of food and nutrition information” from the National Nutrition Council (NNC), the local government units and other government agencies and the nutrition network to the general public.

Aside from the launching, MIND-7 members representing Cebu, Bohol and Negros Oriental also ratified the Mind-7 Constitution and by-laws during the general assembly. There was also an oath-taking of its members.

New members of the organization also took their oath of membership in order to help implement a more aggressive and sustained nutrition awareness drive on exclusive breastfeeding. Follow MIND-7 and Nutrition Related activities via Facebook (Nutrition Advocates PH) and via Twitter @NutriAdvocates