Cooking, veggie display contests highlight end of Nutrition Month in Basilan

By Rene V. Carbayas

Tuesday 31st of July 2012

ISABELA CITY, Basilan, July 31 (PIA) -- “Without cooking and vegetable booth display contests, the Nutrition Month observance is meaningless,” said Maria Jennesa S. Tubongbanua, Isabela City nutrition action officer .

The city highlights veggie cooking and vegetable booth display contests at the end of celebration of the 38th National Nutrition Month.

Twenty of the 45 barangays in the city participated in the vegetable display contest. The veggie booth of Aguada Barangay got the nod of the judges and was awarded best booth.

This year, the different city department heads, including units of the Philippine National Police, will compete in the veggie cooking contest.

Government employees displayed their cooking abilities in preparing nutrition-rich meal that is cost-efficient and palatable, most especially for kids.

The entry from the Provincial Police Office won first place with their vegetable barbeque (stir-fry mix vegetables with barbeque sauce).

The recipe of ginataang kalabasa at sitaw with bulad, and kalderay won second and third places, respectively.

In her message, Isabela City Mayor Cherrylyn Santos-Akbar urged the public to plant vegetables in their backyards, as she anchored her message to this year’s theme, “Pagkain ng Gulay Ugaliin, Araw-araw itong ihain.”

She reiterated the benefits of eating vegetables and encouraged parents to make it a daily habit to serve kids with vegetables.

Every year, the city government has been very supportive of the City Nutrition Committee’s efforts, especially on programs that entail public participation in nutrition celebration activities. Last year, the different barangays competed in the vegetable cooking. (jpa/RVC-PIA9, ZBST)