Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Iloilo News Archive Description An account of the resource News, old and new, about Iloilo Province Subject The topic of the resource Iloilo Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Text Any textual data included in the document SUSTAINED NUTRITION: Iloilo City boosts feeding program for daycare learners By Panay News -Wednesday, April 23, 2025 HEALTHIER FUTURE. In time for the institutionalization of its feeding program, the Iloilo City Government is set to inaugurate early next month another high-impact project — the Iloilo City Uswag Nutrition Center. This project will serve as a strong reinforcement in the city's mission to combat malnutrition and ensure that every child in the community receives the nutrition they deserve. AJ PALCULLO/PN HEALTHIER FUTURE. In time for the institutionalization of its feeding program, the Iloilo City Government is set to inaugurate early next month another high-impact project — the Iloilo City Uswag Nutrition Center. This project will serve as a strong reinforcement in the city's mission to combat malnutrition and ensure that every child in the community receives the nutrition they deserve. AJ PALCULLO/PN ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Government has institutionalized its feeding program for public daycare learners across the city. This, following the passage of Food for Early Education Development (FEED) Ordinance, authored by Councilor Frances Grace Parcon, during the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) regular session on April 16. ComScore Observer “One of the main reasons for pushing this ordinance is to ensure the program is funded every year and no longer reliant on supplemental budgets,” she said. According to Parcon, the FEED program, which is mainly established to address undernutrition among children, will initially have a budget of P22 million sourced from the Special Education Fund (SEF). Mayor Jerry P. Treñas thanked the Iloilo City Council led by Vice Mayor Jeffrey Ganzon for passing the ordinance. “This marks a significant milestone in our ongoing fight against malnutrition among pre-school children. Next month, we will proudly inaugurate the Iloilo City Uswag Nutrition Center, a vital addition to our efforts in ensuring that every child will receive the nutrition they need to thrive. Ini tanan nga mga inisyatibo naton magapasiguro nga ang tagsa ka kabataan makabaton sang nutrisyon nga ila kinahanglan kag ang tagsa ka Ilonggo makabaton sang oportunidad nga makaangkon sang mas maayo nga panglawason kag mas malipayon nga pagpangabuhi,” said Treñas. For school year 2024-2025, there will be 10,099 daycare learners aged two to five years old enrolled in the Child Development Center (CDC) under the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Program of the city who will benefit from the feeding program.Through the ordinance, a 10-month feeding program for children will be completed as a complementary initiative to the programs of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Parcon also stated that the meals to be served will follow the menu cycle of the supplementary feeding program of the DSWD and will be prepared by the parents. The ordinance highlights the role of the City Agriculturist’s Office (CAO) alongside the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) in including fresh milk and fresh milk-based food products in fortified meals and cycle menus as mandated by law, helping local farmers and producers. With the assistance of the CAO, establishment of vegetable gardens at schools, barangays and backyards are also encouraged The City Health Office (CHO), on its part, will provide micronutrient supplements, enforce iodized salt use per the ASIN Law, and conduct health exams like deworming and vaccination. The CHO will monitor, assess, and ensure compliance with program standards on food safety, quality, and participation. The new measure further provides that the city government, through the CHO, shall also maintain water and sanitation facilities, promote hygiene, and ensure safe food preparation for fortified meals. Moreover, a public health, nutrition, and values transformation campaign will complement the program to encourage an integrated approach to health and nutrition education. Participation of all city barangays through the implementation of a Barangay Nutrition Program, the organization and strengthening of Barangay Nutrition Committees and Barangay Nutrition Action Plan (BNAP), as well as of the private sector as partners are highly encouraged. WINNING THE WAR VS MALNUTRITION For the last four years, the malnutrition rate among pre-school children aged zero to 59 months old in Iloilo City has steadily declined, based on the results of the yearly conduct of Operation Timbang Plus (OPT). Data from the CHO-Nutrition Program showed a continuous downward trend in the prevalence of stunting, wasting, and overweight/obesity among the said age group from 2021 to 2024. From three percent in 2021, stunting or low height continuously dropped to 2.8 percent in 2022; 2.6 percent in 2023, to two percent this year. Wasting or low weight for age also declined from 1.3 percent in 2021; one percent in 2022; 0.9 percent in 2023; and 0.6 percent in 2024. Likewise, the city recorded a decreasing rate of overweight or obesity, from 2.9 percent in 2021; 2.3 percent in 2022; 1.8 percent in 2023; and 1.4 percent in 2024. According to CHO Nutritionist-Dietitian II Chlaerisse Montealto-Nieves, for the 2024 OPT conducted from January to March, they were able to cover 80 percent or 36,084 of the targeted 45,081 population of preschoolers. Specifically, results showed that 92.8 percent of the age group are normal in terms of their nutritional status while 533 are underweight, 227 are wasted, 717 are stunted and 504 are overweight or obese. For Nieves, this translates to the fact that the nutritional status of preschoolers in the city is continuously improving. Based on the OTP, only one-eighth of the total preschool children weighed were malnourished. Nieves attributed this to the strengthened and relentless advocacy program and services of the city on nutrition. “Since we started the implementation of our nutrition program, our campaign and advocacy on nutrition have not stopped,” Nieves added. She cited, among others, their continuous services especially in giving out micronutrient supplementation and vitamins and promoting and advocating breastfeeding as one of the important sources of nutrients for children. She also acknowledged the strong support extended by Mayor Treñas to CHO and its nutrition program. In fact, Nieves noted an increased budget for the city’s nutrition program. Another landmark project they look forward to is the soon-to-be operational Uswag Nutrition Center, in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology and Bombo Radyo Foundation Inc., wherein one of its components includes the establishment of a food production facility for complementary foods. The facility is set to be inaugurated early next month. “We will make our own nutri-buns especially for at-risk pregnant women and rice-mongo blends for the kids,” Nieves noted. The facility will also provide outpatient therapeutic care for malnourished kids in the city to improve their nutritional status, as well as a venue for trainings and seminars for barangay nutrition scholars, among others./PN Citation Citation of the article Sornito, I. ( 2025, April 23 ). SUSTAINED NUTRITION: Iloilo City boosts feeding program for daycare learners. Panay News, 1-2. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource SUSTAINED NUTRITION: Iloilo City boosts feeding program for daycare learners Description An account of the resource ILOILO City – The Iloilo City Government has institutionalized its feeding program for public daycare learners across the city. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Sornito, Ime Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived <a href="https://www.panaynews.net/sustained-nutrition-iloilo-city-boosts-feeding-program-for-daycare-learners/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Panay News</a> Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Panay News Incorporated Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Article Subject The topic of the resource Food relief Malnutrition in children Public welfare Iloilo City Government