CATBALOGAN CITY, Samar, June 27 (PIA)— The Nutrition theme this year, “Kalamidad Paghandaan, Gutom at Malnutrisyon Agapan,” focuses on disaster preparedness that emphasizes the importance of nutrition in emergencies.

Nutrition in Emergencies refers to key nutrition services that are components of emergency preparedness, response, and recovery phases at preventing death and worsening of malnutrition in the affected population particularly among infants, children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, and older persons.

The City Government of Catbalogan will kick-off its 2014 Nutrition Month on July 1 through a motorcade and a Launching Program at the City Plaza aimed at increasing awareness among families and individuals on coping and resiliency strategies to prevent malnutrition and worsening of nutritional status in times of emergencies and disasters.

During the recent City Nutrition Council Meeting held June 20, 2014 at the SP Session Hall, City Nutrition Action Officer Herminia Cabral shared that from being the top ranking city in the region for the underweight prevalence among 0-71 months preschool children in 2011 and 2012, Catbalogan City went down to number 2 following Ormoc City. This was according to a recent result of the 2013 Operation Timbang consolidated by the National Nutrition Council.

Catbalogan City was also ranked second to Ormoc City in Region VIII based on the ranking of magnitudes of cities/municipalities of the 2013 OPT among 0-23 months old preschool children.

On a national scale, the City was placed 14th among cities/municipalities with underweight prevalence among 0-71 months old pre-school children and 0-23 months old pre-school children, and ranked 31st among 0-59 months old pre-school children.

This news revalidates the continued efforts of the city in its nutrition programs in coordination with the different barangays and schools in conducting feeding programs, periodic weighing among children and continuous trainings among barangay nutrition scholars (BNS).

Meanwhile, other activities to be conducted during the nutrition month includes feeding program of the City Social Welfare and Development Office, Training on Risk Reduction among Barangay Officials to be conducted by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), distribution of honorarium counterpart of the city among BNS, distribution of seeds and Techno Demo to be conducted by the City Agriculture’s Office, and others. (PIA 8- Samar Avha H. Ebalde/AJC)