The Mandaluyong City local government held a fun run in celebration of Nutrition Month this August as well as to promote the national government's campaign against illegal drugs.
(Photo from Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos)
Mandaluyong City Vice Mayor Menchie Abalos led the event dubbed as "Color Fun 2024" with the theme "Pag Healthy Ka, BIDA Ka."
Over 1,500 individuals participated in the 3-kilometer fun run which started from F. Martinez Avenue going to Fabella Road and back.
BIDA, which stands for "Buhay Ingatan, Droga’y Ayawan," is a multisectoral campaign spearheaded by Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Benhur Abalos aimed at reducing drug demand in communities by uniting national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), private sectors, faith-based organizations (FBOs), and civil society organizations (CSOs).
The program has a three-pronged approach: Prevention and health promotion, law enforcement, and penology reintegration and rehabilitation.
In the nutrition sector, the city government was cited during the 2024 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony and was given the following recognitions:
• Certificate of Quality Nutrition Program
• Best LGU in Nutrition Investment
• Most Improved LGU in the Implementation of Nutrition in Emergencies Program
• Most improved LGU in the Implementation of Philippine Integrated Management of Acute
Malnutrition Program
The LGU had earlier distributed goodie bags and food supplements to its underweight children, pregnant women, children with disabilities, and elderly as part of its expanded effort to curb malnutrition and other nutrition deficiency ailments.
"Kabilang ito sa mga benepisyo na kanilang tinatanggap na bahagi sa pagdiriwang ng Nutrition Month ngayong Hulyo at alinsunod na rin sa Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) na naglalayong isulong ang sapat at wastong nutrisyon para sa lahat (This is part of the benefits they are receiving this July in accordance with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition aiming to promote proper nutrition for everyone)," the city government said.
The PPAN, launched in September last year by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) under the Department of Health (DOH), is a comprehensive blueprint designed to guide government agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academia, and the private sector in their coordinated efforts to reduce all forms of malnutrition.
The NNC said the new PPAN sets directions for food and nutrition policies and strategies intended for various stakeholders and duty-bearers from the government, NGOs, development partners, academe, the private sector, and local government units, and focuses primarily on addressing all forms of malnutrition with particular attention to stunting and wasting, overweight and obesity, poor infant and young child feeding practices, and micronutrient deficiencies.