Mayor Michael Carleone Cruz, local chief executive of the municipality of Umingan, together with the members of the municipal nutrition committee (MNC) and barangay nutrition scholars received the fund for Early Childhood Care and Development in the First 1000 Days (ECCD F1K) Program last May 2, 2017 at the Sangguniang Bayan Hall, Municipal Hall, Umingan, Pangasinan. The check worth Php 4, 130, 118.00 will be used for nutrition activities targeting households with pregnant women, lactating mothers and children aged 0-23 months. Umingan, Pangasinan – “Marami sana kaming gustong gawin na nutrition activities pero wala kaming pundo.” (We have so many plans for nutrition activities but we do not have enough funds) said Cresilda Oria, new MNAO of Umingan LGU.

Mayor Michael Carleone Cruz, local chief executive of the municipality of Umingan, together with the members of the municipal nutrition committee (MNC) and barangay nutrition scholars received the fund for Early Childhood Care and Development in the First 1000 Days (ECCD F1K) Program last May 2, 2017 at the Sangguniang Bayan Hall, Municipal Hall, Umingan, Pangasinan. The check worth Php 4, 130, 118.00 will be used for nutrition activities targeting households with pregnant women, lactating mothers and children aged 0-23 months.

The municipality had reported 192 malnourished children in 2015. According to the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children under Department of Social Welfare and Development Region I, the LGU had recorded actual number of twelve (12) deaths among children below five years old in 2014 and fourteen (14) deaths in 2015 due to health and nutrition concerns.

The ECCD F1K Program fund will be a great help for the LGU to reduce incidence of infant and child mortality rate as well as high prevalence of malnutrition among 0-23 month old children. Along with the delivery of health and nutrition services, activities will be focused on mother’s classes, backyard gardening, goat raising, advocacies like film viewing and Buntis Congress and other special events as planned by the MNC body. After a week of further preparation, MNAO Cresilda Oria immediately spearheaded the program through conduct of mother’s class in five barangays namely Abot Molina, Nampalcan, Ricos, Baracbac and Diaz.

The National Nutrition Council had assisted the LGU in reorganizing its municipal nutrition committee to mobilize and harmonize efforts among different government agencies and non-government organization in implementing effective nutrition programs. The core planning group had participated in nutrition action planning workshop for the formulation of their municipal nutrition action plan and MNAO Cresilda Oria underwent training on nutrition program management. Mayor Cruz, his wife Ms. Jennie Cruz, chair of Umingan Council of Women, Municipal Health Office and other MNC members had initiated supplementary feeding and medical missions not only for those malnourished children but also to other population groups such as children below five years old and senior citizens. (AFSR)