Valenzuela City launches weight loss program for public safety officers
The Valenzuela City government launched a weight loss program for its Public Order and Safety Office (POSO) employees on Thursday, Feb. 16.
The “Health Check - Belly Good!” program, led by the City Health Office, aims to reduce cases of obesity and other non-communicable diseases among city government employees.
According to the local government, 56 out of 324 employees from the Public Safety Division (PSD), Traffic Management Office (TMO), Valenzuela City Transportation Office (VCTO), Sidewalk Cleaning Operation Group (SCOG), Anti-Squatting Task Force (ASTF), Sidewalk Clearing Operation Group (SCOG), Waste Management Office (WMO), Flood Control Unit, Clean and Green, Tubig Patrol, and Motorpool, were categorized as overweight or obese following an assessment done by the City Health Office in January.
It said that the 56 employees underwent orientation for the weight loss challenge and received counseling during the program's launching at the audio-visual room of the City External Service Office (CESO).
The participants of the program will undergo monthly monitoring until September 2023, it added.
During the event, basic blood-screening, risk assessment, and healthy lifestyle promotion were also conducted.
“Napansin natin na sa ating mga empleyado dito sa TMO, PSD, Sanitation, etcetera, ay mayroon silang tatlong nangungunang physical conditions kagaya ng obesity, diabetes, pati na rin hypertension. Ang lahat ng iyan ay nakita natin sa ating risk assessment dito sa Action Center clinic, kaya naman meron tayo nitong programang ito kung saan inaalagaan natin ang kanilang kalusugan dahil inaalagaan naman nila ang mga Valenzuelano (We noticed that our employees here in TMO, PSD, Sanitation, etcetera, they have three leading physical conditions including obesity, diabetes, and hypertension. We saw all of that in our risk assessment here at the Action Center clinic, that's why we have this program where we take care of their health because they are taking care of the Valenzuelanos),” City Health Officer Dr. Marthony Basco said.
“Ang prinsipyo po natin ay kung inaalagaan natin sila, ay magiging mas maalaga din sila sa kanilang serbisyo. Ang programang ito ay isa lamang sa programa ng ating lungsod na nag-aalaga sa ating mga empleyado (Our principle is that if we take good care of employees, they will in turn provide better services to our people. This program is just one of those that aim to care for our employees),” she added.
The city government said that it would continue initiating healthy programs for its employees.