LUCENA CITY, Quezon – Quezon Governor David C. Suarez on Friday said local government units (LGUs) could learn from each other’s best practices as he bannered the province’s pioneering First 1,000 Days of Life, or Q1K, in the gathering of LGUs in the province.
“Here in Quezon Province, we are proud to say that we have been a pioneer province in fighting for children’s welfare. We fight for the welfare of the child sa sinapupunan pa lang ng isang ina (even when the unborn child is nurtured at the mother’s womb). I think if we truly want to fight for the welfare of our children, we have to fight for them when they needed it the most. And that is in the first day of life,” Suarez said.
Suarez took pride in hosting the gathering of some 141 municipalities and cities across the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon for the Regional Awarding of Child-Friendly Local Governance at the Quezon Convention Center on Aug. 20.
He said that his provincial administration’s thrust on health and nutrition focused on children’s welfare through the program, which has been widely accepted by LGUs across the country and during his attendance at major international forums.
“As we recognize municipalities and cities who fight for children’s welfare, we need to start the fight early. We want to share Q1K with you. I congratulate you for championing children in your municipalities and cities. This does not only show that you are showing good governance, but you’re also fighting for humanity,” Suarez said.
The provincial governor also welcomed 22 members from the Bohol provincial government that conducted their two-day Learning Exchange Visit and briefings on the Q1K program in mid-August.
He reported the increasing visits to Quezon province by a number of provinces and cities in the country, as a destination of choice for educational tours.
Glenda Grafillo, Provincial Nutrition Program Coordinator and team leader of the Bohol delegates, said that Learning Exchange Visit aims to enhance their knowledge on local nutrition program management and allow them to observe good practices and innovative programs of other LGUs.
Grafillo said they have chosen Quezon Province to learn from the Q1K Program, which is the first program of its kind to champion maternal and child health in the whole country.
She said Quezon has been a consistent winner and bagged this year’s Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) award, the highest recognition conferred by the National Nutrition Council.
The Bohol visiting delegation is composed of nutritionist-dietician, nurses, social welfare officers and administrative staff from Bohol’s Nutrition Action office and Health office and were welcomed by their counterparts from the Quezon Provincial Nutrition Action Office and the Q1K program team.
The Bohol learning exchange participants had the chance to tour the Food Processing Center in Talipan, Pagbilao, Quezon and embarked on sightseeing around the Agri-Tourism Exposition, which is part of Quezon’s “Niyogyugan Festival 2018”, during their first day.
On their second day, the Bohol visiting educational tour delegates received orientation on the program overview, components and innovations of the Q1K program and made their site visit to San Antonio, Quezon – where they interviewed a pilot program beneficiary.
The delegates expressed their feedbacks and gratitude to the Quezon provincial government through Suarez for the hospitality, and for crafting such program that will address the problems besetting the nutritionally vulnerable sector of the society and provide expanded health care to pregnant women and their children. (Gideon Belen/PNA)
