TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN (PIA) – The Department of Health (DOH) Cagayan Valley encouraged academic institutions, local government units, and government agencies to support programs promoting good health and nutrition of students.
DOH Undersecretary Dr. Glenn Mathew Baggao said the ‘Biyaheng Kalusugan’, which was participated in by thousands of students in the province, is focused on the promotion of healthy setting, healthy policy, and health literacy in the learning institutions.
“The Byaheng Kalusugan is going around the country for massive awareness campaign as we encourage and empower participants to adopt healthier and more nutritious diets, alongside regular physical activity to foster lifelong health and vitality,” Baggao said.
DOH Regional Director Amelita Pangilinan said the program presents to partner agencies the Health Promotion Framework Strategy Playbook, an e-module that discusses how the local government units create healthy environments while equipping them with the necessary skills and information needed to successfully implement evidence-based and effective health promotions programs in their communities and families.
National Nutrition Council (NNC) Program Coordinator Ma. Gisela Lonzaga said the Philippine Action Plan for Nutrition (PPAN) desired a vision of reducing all forms of malnutrition across all life stages by 2028.
Among the strategies she emphasized are the establishment and maintenance of school, community, and workplace food gardens; completion of farm-to-market roads and market infrastructures; setting of KADIWA outlets which ensure the availability and affordability of food in areas with high demand and communities with low-income families; dietary supplementation program; food stamps or cash transfer programs; food fortification; monitoring of the Milk Code implementation, and regulation of marketing of unhealthy food and beverages.
The education sector in the region also assured that the feeding program for in-school children will continue to provide healthy meals for every malnourished learner and the establishment of Gulayan sa Paaaralan to help in the attainment of proper nutrition for young individuals. (OTB/GVB/PIA Region 2)
