PAGADIAN City is one of the 21 LGUs cited for exemplary nutrition programs at the Gawad Saka and National Nutrition Council (NNC) Awards graced by President Gloria Arroyo, latest information relayed to this paper from the City Mayor’s Office said.
Held annually, Gawad Saka is an undertaking of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in cooperation with NGOs and the private sector where individuals and institutions are cited for their exemplary accomplishments and contribution to agricultural development.
For this year, there are 14 awardees for NNC's Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Award; another three for the 1st Year CROWN Maintenance Award; one awardee for the 2nd Year CROWN Maintenance Award and four each for the Nutrition Honor Award and National Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar Award.
Last Oct. 27, a separate ceremony for the National Nutrition Awards was held at Bay Plaza Hotel where awards were given to the 2009 Green Banners Award for Regional Outstanding Nutrition Program Implementers.
The awardees are Zamboanga Sibugay as Outstanding Province in the region; Pagadian City as Outstanding City (CROWN), and Kabasalan, Zambo Sibugay for Outstanding Municipality (CROWN).
The CROWN Award is given to a municipality, city or province which has won the Green Banner Award for Nutrition for three consecutive years, particularly in efficiently managing and improving their respective nutrition action plans.
A national nutrition evaluation team monitors the winners of the CROWN Awards for the next three years to determine if the winning local government units (LGUs) merit the National Nutrition Honor Awards.
In the said ceremony here, Buug, Zambo Sibugay and Pagadian City were given a RNC Plaque of Recognition for Nutrition Honor Award.
The towns of Kabasalan, ZamboSibugay, Margosatubig, Zambosur and Polanco, Zanorte likewise were the Green Banner awardees for Provincial Outstanding Municipalities.
Certificates of recognition as Outstanding Nutrition Action Officer were given to Alma Alvarado of Buug, James Yanez of Pagadian, Melodia Maghanoy of Kabasalan, Marelene Garcia of Polanco and Glemma Briones of Margosatubig.
Another plaque of recognition and cash was given to Marife Basalo of Poblacion, Dinas, Zambosur as Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar while Buug mayor Teresita Famor received her certificate of recognition for Outstanding LCE in Nutrition.
Lastly, the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar is conferred to a community-based nutrition volunteer who has helped link the barangay and its malnourished members to urban health service providers.
This year’s awardees are Tessie Espinosa of Alicia, Zambo Sibugay, Shirley Aguas of Polanco, Saida Caderna of Dipolog City, Vilma Elumbaring of Dapitan City, Cherrie Pilar Limen of Zamboanga City and Gina del Monte of Balangasan, Pagadian City.
Nutrition Program Coordinator Maria del Pilar Pamela Tarroza said the achievements of the nutrition awardees will serve as an inspiration for local governments to pursue with more vigor their commitments to improve the nutritional well-being of their respective areas within the framework of the government’s Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program and the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA