Some 100 selected stunted children from this city on Wednesday received nutribun and pasteurised milk while their parents underwent nutrition counselling and got food packs and kitchen garden kits.
“For 120 days, these children aged 0-5 years old will be supplied with nutribun and pasteurised milk as part of the continuing supplementary feeding program of the provincial government,” Provincial Nutrition Action Office head Elma Irapta said during the culmination activity of the 50th nutrition month celebration at the Laoag Centennial Arena.
The provincial government partnered with a local enterprise being assisted by the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) to produce enhanced nutribun, which are now available in five variance in the province.
“Our nutribuns are enriched with squash, ube, monggo, chocolate, and yema to ensure that children have something to choose from,” said Eldie Domingo, general manager of Bakers PH, during the community outreach program launch on Wednesday.
Domingo said the company is thankful to the provincial government and for the DOST technology for “coming out with a science-driven solution to address under and malnutrition in Luzon.”
According to DOST-FNRI, the e-nutribun has more micronutrients like iron and vitamin A. The texture is softer and weighs 160-165 grams per piece, and is easier for children to hold and bite.
Each serving has 504 calories, 17.8 grams of protein, 6.08 milligrams of iron, and 244 micrograms of vitamin A.
A pasteurized carabao’s milk from the Philippine Carabao Center based in Batac City, Ilocos Norte also complements the e-nutribun as each child-beneficiary will be given 200 ml toned carabao’s milk for 120 days to combat malnutrition.
The program will not only ensure the health of the children but will help sustain operations of the local dairy sector and vegetables farmers.
Irapta said the nutrition status of Ilocos Norte has significantly improved as the prevalence of stunting has declined to 4.6 percent in 2023 from 4.7 percent in 2022, 6.7 percent in 2021, 8.4 percent in 2020, and 8.9 percent in 2019.
“The prevalence rate is within the very low level of public health significance but in support of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, we continue to implement nutrition education and supplementary feeding programs to ensure the health and nutrition of our constituents, particularly among our growing children and pregnant women,” she said.
Through the so-called Pinggang Pinoy, parents are given a food guide on the recommended proportion by food groups in every meal to feed members of the family.
In partnership with local government units and the Department of Education, the PNAO is also spearheading the distribution of kitchen garden kits consisting of various vegetable seeds to encourage every family to have an edible garden in their homes.
In 2023, a total of 900 households were given kitchen garden kits which the provincial government wants to replicate this year.
“We are so grateful to this initiative of the government for the welfare of our children,” said Czelea Damaso, 21, a wife and mother of two — Patrick Jemle, 4, and Anathalia Jemlai, 8-month-old, from Barangay Bacsil, this city.
Ilocos Norte Governor Matthew Joseph Manotoc, in his speech, urged all the village nutrition scholars and members of the provincial nutrition action team to help the provincial government in collecting accurate data to improve the nutrition status of the province.
“We need your help to gather accurate data to improve the diet, lifestyle, as well as mental status of our constituents. We need to continuously improve and ensure, particularly our children are well-fed and well-take cared of,” he said. (PNA)
