Officials from the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) conducted a benchmarking activity with the Mandaluyong City government on Friday, Oct. 5, to learn the city's programs and best practices on child development and nutrition.

(Photo from Mandaluyong LGU)
Dubbed as "Fellowship Program on Social Cohesion and Resilience," the activity was attended by the top officials of BARMM, Mandaluyong City, and was made possible by both local government units (LGUs), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Asia Foundation, Galing Pook Foundation, Mandaluyong Council for the Protection of Children, and Mandaluyong City Nutrition Committee.
"Sa benchmarking program na ito ay ipinakita ng pamahalaang lungsod ng Mandaluyong ang dalawang award-winning programs, sa nutrition implementation at ang Project TEACH, at kung paano nito nakamit ang Nutrition Honor Award na iginawad ng National Nutrition Council-Department of Health, at ang Galing Pook Award mula sa Galing Pook Foundation para sa Project TEACH (The city government of Mandaluyong presented its two award-winning programs which are its nutrition implementation and Project TEACH, and how the city achieved the Nutrition Honor Award from the National Nutrition Council-Department of Health (NNC-DOH), and Galing Pook Award from the Galing Pook Foundation for its Project TEACH)," Mandaluyong City Mayor Ben Abalos said.
NNC-DOH cited the city as its "Nutrition Champion" during the 2021 Gawad Parangal sa Nutrisyon on Dec. 7.
It was recognized by the People Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) for its efforts in helping indigent families and creating programs for the benefit of children with special needs by awarding it the 2021 National Exemplar-People Program of the Year (PPY) in Public Sector for its Project TEACH (Therapy, Education and Assimilation of Children with Handicap) program.
PMAP explained that the PPY Award in Public Sector is given to an organization or institution that has implemented a program that is pioneering, innovative, and relevant to the time and needs of its beneficiaries. The program must have also provided significant contribution to the enhancement of employer-employee relations.
The LGU said that Project TEACH is the community-based rehabilitation program of the city aiming to extend free services and intervention to children with special needs of indigent families. It was launched in 2007 and was institutionalized as a city government program during the term of former mayor and now DILG Sec. Benhur Abalos.
According to the LGU, the program has benefited over 1,200 children with disabilities, largely from indigent families.