TUTOK-KAINAN; 22 BENEFICIARIES RECEIVE FOOD COMMODITIES

Tutok-Kainan Supplementation Program launched its first day of operation on April 21, 2022 in the municipality of Lingayen.

The said program was implemented mainly to reduce the malnutrition rate in the municipality of Lingayen. Under the National Nutrition Council (NNC), Task Force Zero Hunger, Department of Health (DOH), and with the coordination of the Municipality of Lingayen, this program will provide supplementation commodities to the 22 beneficiaries for 6 to 23 months old babies.

The program will simultaneously run for 180 days to ensure additional calories for the 22 babies.

While the country continues to suffer from malnutrition up to date. Philippine Statistics Authority said, in year 2022, 23.9% or 9.3 million children are considered poor, while 8.1% are considered “food poor.”

Mayor Leopoldo N. Bataoil, fully supports the program that ensures the delivery of complementary early childhood care to undernourished kids in the town.

On April 18, 2022, orientation was conducted before the supplementation program implementation to prepare its concerned participants. The Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) emphasized during the lecture that beneficiaries with 6 to 23 months old babies are the “priority group” of the program.

The barangay captains, chairman on committee of health in the barangays, barangay nutrition scholars, and parents or guardians of the beneficiaries attended the aforementioned orientation.

Through the joint efforts, LGUs from regional, provincial, and city expect to improve the quality of food and nutrient intake of the children. Nonetheless, NNC said the program is set as a chance and a lesson for the deprived beneficiaries. It is also a way to prompt young-aged children aloof from the supposed food poor-life experience.

The NNC also said that the dilemma of malnutrition in the country was furthered during the pandemic. “Many families go hungry and are not able to eat healthy foods due to limited capacity to buy food,” NCC said. (MIO)