City Nutrition programs receive Green Banner Award

Santa Rosa City Mayor Arlene B Arcillas displays the Green Banner as she poses with Center for Health Development-DOH Assistant Regional Director Corazon Flores, MD. (4^th from left), NNC Calabarzon Nutrition Program Coordinator Carina Santiago (6^th from left), DILG Regional Director Josefina Castilla-Go (5^th from right), Laguna Governor Emilio Ramon “ER” Ejercito (4^th from right), CNAO Carmencita Catindig (3^rd from right), City Councilor Antonia Laserna (2^nd from right), and former NNC Calabarzon Nutrition Program Coordinator Alicia Ramos (rightmost). Also in the photo are staff from the City Nutrition Office, City Outstanding BNS Menue Batitis (3^rd from left), former Tagapo. Brgy Chairperson Marietta Bartolazo (6^th from right). (CIO Sta. Rosa)

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For championing the cause of promoting good nutrition among its people, the City of Santa Rosa now brandishes another award - the Green Banner Award from the National Nutrition Council Region IV-A during the 2013 Joint Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony for CALABARZON & MIMAROPA held on December 6, 2013 at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City. Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas personally received the accolade.

Mayor Arcillas said that she is very pleased that the City is once again being recognized for its nutrition programs. “For years now, we have been aiming for the zero-malnourished children status when it comes to the nutritional status of our constituents especially the children. I am happy that each year we are able to get closer to reaching that goal and this award attests to that,” she said.

She also expressed regret that the city failed to hit the mark last year. “We were very disappointed when we were not able to maintain our Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Award but we just looked at it as a challenge to improve our programs on nutrition and think of more innovations,” the Mayor said. She added that the City Nutrition Office, headed by City Nutrition Action Officer Carmencita Catindig, is working diligently to address the gaps in the previous evaluation and to help secure the City’s standing as a champion of nutrition.

Aside from the Green Banner Award, the City also received two more awards. Brgy. Tagapo received the City Outstanding Barangay and Outstanding Barangay in the Region. The Barangay was recognized for its innovative programs implemented during the administration of former Barangay Chairperson Marietta Bartolazo.

Bartolazo started the School On Wheels to Relevant Education Access Program (SOW to REAP) in September 2010 which benefitted indigent children aged 3-6 years old who, for financial constraints, cannot attended a day care school. Classes are held twice a week in select five areas in Barangay Tagapo. The parents of the beneficiary children also learned information relevant to their needs and condition such as proper child care, benefits of breastfeeding, family aid treatment, home management and livelihood training.

Another beneficial project of Bartolazo is the Adopt-A-Lot Program which gave an opportunity for residents to earn extra income by planting crops on idle lots while being able to assist in keeping the surrounding clean and green.

Meanwhile, Barangay Nutrition Scholar Menue Batitis assigned in Brgy. Tagapo was also recognized as the City Outstanding BNS and for being a Finalist in the Search for the 2012 Regional Outstanding BNS in the CALABARZON Region. Batitis, through the support of then Brgy. Chairperson Bartolazo, also initiated innovations herself which led to her getting distinguished as the City Outstanding BNS. Some of the programs she mentioned are ‘Sagip-Buhay Kontra Malnutrisyon’ where she encourages mothers with four or more children to undergo ligation; ‘Pagbubuntis Mo, Aalagaan Ko’, a program where she assists mothers in applying for an ID for the PhilHealth ng Masa Program of the City Government to aid in the mothers’ delivery.

While Mayor Arcillas is happy with the award, she said, “More than any award, our greatest source of happiness and satisfaction is seeing our children grow healthy and well-nourished.  This, to us, makes the City of Santa Rosa a wealthy city far beyond any riches.”

Recent awards received by the City were:

·         First Year Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance Award given during the 2011 National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held in October 25, 2011.

·         Pabasa sa Nutrisyon Maintenance Award given by the Provincial Nutrition Action Office in 2011.

·         Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) award given during the National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held on November 4, 2010.

·         Hall of Fame Award on the Implementation of Pabasa sa Nutrisyon awarded by the Philippine Association of Nutrition in 2009

·         Exemplary Award on the Implementation of Pabasa sa Nutrisyon awarded by Philippine Association of Nutrition in  2008

·         Green Banner Award (Outstanding City on Nutrition Program in CALABARZON Region IV A) by the National Nutrition Council in 2007-2009

·         Outstanding City on the Implementation of PABASA sa Nutrisyon awarded by Philippine Association of Nutrition in 2007 (CIO Santa Rosa/MVC)

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