24 March 2022, Cagayan de Oro City – Three (3) local government units and two (2) local nutrition focal points (LNFPs) from Region 10 bagged national awards during the 2021 National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held in Hilton Manila—the most among all regions in the country.
LGU Manolo Fortich in Bukidnon was conferred with the Nutrition Honor Award, the highest recognition in nutrition given to an LGU. This was achieved after six consecutive years of hard work, dedication, and commitment in planning and implementing scaled-up nutrition efforts. The trophy and cash prize worth ₱1,000,000.00 were received by Municipal Mayor and Nutrition Committee Chairperson Clive D. Quiño and former Nutrition Action Officer Christy Marie V. Alsado.
In his response, Mayor Quiño said, “The awards we received today is a proof of our purposeful and steadfast leadership in nutrition. The challenge is not to only sustain and continuously improve what we currently have, but also to inspire others to make a difference and prioritize nutrition for the future generation.”
On the other hand, Provincial NAO Marichu G. Tijing with District Nutrition Program Coordinator Cherry Ann D. Arabes received the 2nd Year Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) Maintenance Award with cash prize of ₱200,000.00 in behalf of the Misamis Occidental Provincial Nutrition Committee Chairperson and Provincial Governor Philip T. Tan. With this, the Province has the chance to vie for the NHA.
Third LGU awardee is Cagayan de Oro City, as 1st Year CROWN Maintenance recipient. The certificate of recognition and ₱100,000.00 cash prize was received by CNAO Nenita F. Rabe.
The 2021 NNAC is a milestone activity since outstanding LNFPs other than the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) are awarded for the first time.
PNAO Tijing and CNAO Rabe made history as the first ever National Outstanding PNAO and CNAO, respectively, besting all other contenders from different regions in the country.
In their response messages, PNAO Tijing encouraged her fellow NAOs to find their passion and purpose for service, and to become the answers to the people’s prayers. CNAO Rabe also drew her inspiration to continuously give her best to serve her fellow Kagay-anons, even quoting CDO Mayor Oscar S. Moreno, “Just do your best, and the rest will follow.”
The awardees were evaluated from May to November 2020 based on their performance for CY 2019.
Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Gladys Mae S. Fernandez, who accompanied the winners on stage, is beyond happy for the awardees, that through all the accomplishments, successes, and challenges, they emerged as victors who claimed their rightful spots in the national stage. “We hope that the nutrition champions will sustain their gains providing quality and scaled-up nutrition services to their constituents,” she said.
Aside from honoring the LGUs and LNFP awardees, the NNAC also serves as an inspiration that through passion, collaborative actions, and investments, other LGUs and nutrition workers can be performers and awardees, too. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)