BONTOC, Mountain Province – This town is one of the Regional Nutrition Awardees for this year.
Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Venous Faith Cofulan received the award during a virtual awarding ceremony on Oct. 20.
Bontoc is one of the only 25 local government units in the Cordillera with below 10 percent stunting prevalence in 2019. The other awardees in Mountain Province with below 10 percent stunting prevalence in 2019 are Natonin and Tadian.
The award is based on the effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of the nutrition programs of the LGU. This year, the criteria focused on the result of the Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus conducted on children ages zero to 59 months in the 16 barangays of Bontoc in 2019.
Among the programs conducted by the LGU are the regular OPT and OPT validation, Search for the Healthiest Mother and Baby, and the Chagsen Challenge (Search for Biggest Loser).
The Chagsen Challenge is a lifestyle program of the LGU that aims to promote health and wellness among employees of the municipal government and the public. The program is for the public to lose unwanted weight through proper food intake and regular exercise.
The activity was proposed by Councilor Jerome Tudlong, Jr., chair the committee on health and sanitation, in collaboration with the Municipal Health Office.
For 2020, some of the nutrition programs of the LGU are the regular conduct of OPT Plus and OPT validation, Search for the Best Performing Barangay Nutrition Council, Search for the Healthiest Places covering barangays and elementary and secondary schools, provision of vegetable seedlings to parents of malnourished children for their backyard gardening, provision of free-range chicks to 18 parents of malnourished children, and Chagsen Challenge-team edition. – Alpine L. Killa
