Bulacan recognizes nutrition providers, stresses the magic in food gardening
CITY OF MALOLOS – The Provincial Government of Bulacan through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office culminated the Nutrition Month yesterday through acknowledging the irrefutable contributions of individuals, barangays and municipalities whose advocacy is to promote nutritious meal in every table through food gardening.
The province awarded the Natatanging Bayan sa Nutrisyon title to Calumpit that took home P100,000 cash incentive, San Rafael in second place with P75,000, Bulakan in third place with P50,000, Baliwag in fourth place with P30,000 and Doña Remedios Trinidad in fifth place and received P20,000. All the winners received plaques of appreciation.
For the Natatanging Barangay sa Nutrisyon category, Lias in Marialo won the title and received P50,000, Real de Kakarong, Pandi placed second with P40,000, Sabang, San Miguel landed in third and took home P30,000, Matang Tubig, Baliwag placed fourth and received P20,000 and Coral na Bato, San Rafael in fifth place with P10,000.
In addition, the PGB hailed Melody Visande of Real de Kakarong, Pandi as the Natatanging Lingkod Lingap sa Nayon, while the Long Serving Municipal Action Officer was given to Alma Buhain of Plaridel with 20 years of service and both received a cash incentive worth of P5,000 and Long Serving Lingkod Lingap sa Nayon to Asuncion Pulumbarit and Conchita Espejo from Plaridel and Flordeliza Sanchez and Juliana Peralta from Guiguinto, both with 30 years in service and took home P3,000 each.
Moreover, winners in Malunggay Kahit Saan (Parents of Day Care Children advocating malunggay planting) were also announced. The winners were from Bangkal, Norzagaray for the first place, Duhat, Bocaue in second and Burol, Balagtas in third place. They received P5,000, P3,000 and P2,000 respectively.
Vice Governor Daniel R. Fernando stressed that having a healthy body is crucial to attaining a progressive economy.
“Wala pong ibang magpapanday ng matatag na ekonomiya kundi ang mga mamamayang may malusog na pangangatawan at kaisipan. Kaya salamat po at palagi tayong magkatuwang sa isang bagay, ang ikabubuti ng bawat isa,” Fernando said.
Meanwhile, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Ana Maria Rosaldo discussed what she called “magic in food gardening”.
“Nag-focus tayo sa food gardening una para maiwasan ang micronutrient deficiency at mapalaganap ang pagkakaroon ng variety sa nakahaing pagkain sa hapag, pangalawa ay upang mapababa ang bilang ng may food insecurity o kakulangan sa pagkain at pangatlo ay upang mapataas nag konsumo ng prutas at gulay. This is magical dahil sa sariling lugar lang natin makakakuha tayo ng masusustasyang pagkain na magpapalusog sa katawan natin,” Rosaldo said.
Also, PSWDO Head Rowena Joson-Tiongson said that aside from these, food gardening can also become an additional source of income to those who harvest more than for self consumption.