PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan -- The province of Palawan has been awarded as the “Most Dynamic Province on Nutrition Program Implementation in 2017” in the Mimaropa (4-B) region for the first time by the National Nutrition Council (NNC).
Palawan Provincial Nutrition Action Office (PNAO) chief Rachel Paladan said Tuesday the provincial government received the award on August 16 in Manila during the 2018 Mimaropa Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.
Paladan said the award is enough remuneration for the provincial government that has been working hard to bring down the malnutrition prevalence rate (MPR) to be at par if not lower than the national government’s 5 percent.
“Siyempre ang ating goal talaga at ‘yung target natin is ma-reach ‘yung 5 percent malnutrition prevalence rate ng national at ’yung malnutrition reduction program (Our goal really, our target is for our MPR being close to the national MPR of 5 percent and to continue the malnutrition reduction),” she said.
Previously, Paladan said the province has maintained its consistent status of having the highest incidence of malnutrition in the entire Mimaropa this year.
She noted the towns of Rizal, Balabac, and Quezon in southern Palawan, and Roxas, Agutaya, Busuanga, Linapacan, and Cuyo in the northern part, as those with high malnutrition incidences.
“Kasi ang isa rin talagang layunin natin dito lalo na habang buntis pa lamang ang nanay dapat talaga ay maalagaan na natin para hindi sila dumating sa sinasabing social problem (Part of our goal is to ensure that pregnant women are taken care of well so they won’t become part of the social problems),” she added.
In a separate interview, NNC-Mimaropa regional coordinator Carina Santiago said Palawan was chosen to receive the award for its energy in pushing all initiatives and efforts against malnutrition, especially in the far-flung barangays.
“Ang Palawan ay binigyan namin ng Most Dynamic Province Award ngayong taon because nakitaan namin talaga na ito ay nagsumikap, ‘yung dynamism na sinasabi nandoon hindi lang in terms na magkaroon ng mga programa ang mga munisipyo (We gave Palawan the Most Dynamic Province award this year because we saw that it really exerted effort, and that what we call dynamism is there not only in terms of having a program in the municipalities),” she said.
Santiago added that Palawan did not only capacitate health workers but also the barangay chairmen to implement nutrition programs and projects.
“Talagang kina-capacitate hindi lang ‘yung mga workers kundi pati ‘yung mga barangay captains at of course, maayos ang pagpapatupad ng province. Ang gusto ko talagang ginagawa ng province ay ‘yun talagang tinututukan ang nutrition ng mamamayan (The province really capacitated not only the workers but barangay leaders. What I Iike most about the province is the focus it is giving to the nutrition of the population),” Santiago said.
In expressing her gratitude, Paladan said Governor Jose Alvarez, Board Member Eduardo Modesto Rodriguez, the Provincial Board, and various stakeholders, should be credited for the support they are giving nutrition care in the province. (PNA)
