JAGNA – The lone awardee in the province and in Region VII, LGU Jagna was a recipient of the 2011 Pabasa sa Nutrisyon Outstanding Award given by the Philippine Association of Nutrition (PAN). Mayor Fortunato R. Abrenilla with Municipal Councilor Bonifacio Virtudes, Jr. (chair, SB Committee on Health) and MNAO Anita Ocmeja received the award on July 7 in time for the annual Philippine Association of Nutrition Convention held at Laoag Convention Center in Ilocos Norte. This award recognized the outstanding achievement of local government units from provincial to municipal levels and non-government organizations (NGO) that have adapted the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon (PSN) project in the communities of their beneficiaries. The Municipal Nutrition Council (MNC) is the implementing agency of the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon Program. This program was started in the municipality in the last quarter of 2009 and is continuously implemented with the continuous support and encouragement of Mayor Fortunato Abrenilla and the SB Committee on Health headed by Municipal Councilor Bonifacio Virtudes, Jr. PSN is a nutrition education approach adapted in LGU Jagna which is targeted to parents of malnourished pre schoolers; pregnant women; and lactating women. This is a sustained educational campaign to instill in the minds of the participants the importance of breastfeeding; importance of eating a variety of nutritious food daily; prevention of malnutrition and micro-nutrient malnutrition; the importance of providing good nutrition for the family through proper food preparation; and responsible parenthood.

Aimed at changing the attitude and outlook of the populace in general towards providing proper nutrition to the family especially the children, this program involves the sustained active participation of women and men in the barangay in the learning process, the leadership and support of municipal and barangay officials and local nutrition workers. The strategy of the MNC in the implementation is proper coordination and ensuring cooperation of the barangay officials, BNS and BNC starting from the process of identifying and gathering targets to the actual conduct of the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon sessions. The Pabasa sa Nutrisyon program, a two-day program, to date has already 300 graduates. Trained Barangay Nutrtion Schoalrs serve as facilitators of the program. Thru the different nutrition programs implemented in the municipality – Pabasa sa Nutrisyon, supplemental feeding with the manna pack, a nutrient-rich food for children given by the Philos Health a partner NGO of the municipality, other feeding programs in schools, LGU Jagna’s Municipal Health Office thru the Municipal Nutrition Office is working intensely towards eradicating malnutrition in the municipality.