VIGAN CITY, Ilocos Sur (PIA) — The city government of Vigan, through the city health office (CHO) and the city nutrition action office, distributed vegetable seeds to urge residents to start backyard gardening during the kick-off of the Nutrition Month celebration on July 6 at the Vigan Culture and Trade Center (VCTC).
Seeds of chili, snow cabbage or pechay, lady’s fingers or okra, and stringbeans, among others were distributed to the barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) who attended the launching.
Jeno Figuracion, Nurse I of the CHO and 2021 National Outstanding City Nutrition Action Officer, said, “We all know that vegetables are very important when it comes to nutrition. They are the main source of vitamins and minerals which we don’t get as much from pork and other meat products.”
“Nutrition starts at home, so parents and guardians must become good models to the young ones and show them proper nutrition; because children emulate what they see,” he emphasized.
Ellen Malinao, BNS of barangay Beddeng Laud, said she will distribute the seedlings to the residents at her barangay who are yet to start their backyard vegetable gardens.
“There are 235 households in our barangay and not even half have their vegetable garden, so we are thankful of these initiatives so we can help them start already; for those who do not have backyard spaces, we assist them in recycling to create urban gardens so they can still grow their own vegetables,” she said.
She explained, “Through this, we can continue to help our community, especially the malnourished children.”
Malinao said they have started going to every house in their barangay in order to promote gardening as well as conducting feeding programs for the children.
She noted that this is helpful to the mothers, expecting moms, and to the less fortunate families to sustain their health despite their situations.
Further, Christie Ferino, provincial nutrition action officer, said that gardening is necessary for food security and to ensure proper nutrition.
“By establishing food gardens, we can ensure that we can feed our families with nutritious food because even if disasters or calamities occur, there would still be vegetables-which we can be certain are safe and healthy, readily-available at our backyards,” she explained.
Additionally, Ferino said gardening as a physical activity helps the residents to keep fit and active. Combined with proper diet, this is essential to achieve proper nutrition.
Moreover, the kick-off celebration in the city was marked with a zumba party and the advocacy walk where some 165 participants distributed brochures containing information on proper diet for all age groups.(MJTAB/ATV, PIA Ilocos Sur)
