The
CAGAYANTIMES d e O ro
Your Weekly Lifestyle Newspaper
Vol. 1 | No.16 | Cagayan de Oro City | November 25-December 1, 2012
OPOL, Misamis Oriental:
P10.00
Beyond the NNC award By SHAUN UY of Cagayan de Oro TIMES with GERRY L. GORIT of Mindanao Daily News and Christine Cabiasa of The Cagayan de oro TIMES
Opol has been effectively implementing its municipal nutrition program as seen in the continuing decline of its malnutrit ion rate i n the last three years. It registered at 3.69% in 2009, to 2.72% in 2010 and further to 2.12% last year. Mayor Yasay received the First Maintenance Award of the National nut r ition Award 2012 at the PICC in Manila last November 9 from President Benigno Aquino III. The awarding ceremony was also graced by Agricult ure Secretar y P r o c e s o A lc a l a , He a lt h Secretary Enrique Ona and National Nutrition Council Assistant Secretary Maria Bernardita Flores. Yasay was accompanied by Vice Mayor Chizarina M. Ortigoza, municipal health officer Dr. Mercado, MNAD Edgar Napinas and some employees of the municipal government. “This recognition shows that we are on the right track in serving our constituents,” Yasay said, noting that the first time they were awarded was last year. Furthermore, Yasay says “Kining nutrition program, wala ta niingon nga wala
n ay m a l n o u r i s h e d (t h i s nutrition program, we are not saying that there are no more malnourished [kids]), the recognition given by the national government through the National Nut r ition Council indicates that we are on the right track on doing things as far as resolving the so-called malnutrition”. T he mayor said O pol keeps on looking for answers to community problems so that they can appropriate the necessary budget to solve these. He said the key factor why there are poor people in the community is that they have not been given an opportunity to be educated, and that children don’t want t o go t o s cho ol i f t hei r stomachs are empty. “ We a re i nt e n sif y i ng our advocacy on backyard gardening,” Yasay said. Backyard and zonal food production, micronutrient supplement at ion, food fortif ication, feeding and other initiatives contributed to the reduced prevalence of under-nutrition among preschool children. “W hen child ren see their parents’ plant and eat vegetables then there is a strong possibility that the
children will follow their parents in doing what is right to eat,” he said. Ya say st at e s t hat t he municipal nutrition council, municipal health office and barangay health workers are doing their best to control malnutrition in Opol. “Bahala’g unsa kakapoy, unsa ka tedious ang resolving the so-called malnutrition i n ou r mu n icipa l it y but seeing the parents of those malnourished kids helping the government in running the program, I think mao kana ang makapawala s a a m o n g k a k a p o y, u g makahatag ug kadasig sa among kaugalingon.” Yasay adds. For this latest ach ievement, Misam is Oriental 2nd District Rep. Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano praised Mayor Yasay and the local government unit. Emano supports the propoor programs of Opol, one of the municipalities under the second congressional district of Misamis Oriental. From the 1,714 provinces, cities and municipalities, Opol is among the 22 LGUs awa r d e d i n t h e va r iou s national nutrition awards this year and the only one in Misamis Oriental.
Mayor Dexter B. Yasay of Opol in Misamis Oriental shows his award from the National Nutrition Council at the PICC in Manila last November 9 from President Benigno Aquino III . NNC cited the local government unit under his leadership for its successful nutrition program in the municipality.
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