ZAMBOANGA CITY — The municipality of Tungawan in Zamboanga Sibugay has been recently conferred a certificate of recognition by the Kabalikat ng Lipunan sa Kalusugang pang-Nutrisyon at Teknolohiya (Kabalikat) for its contribution to Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) Malnutrition Reduction Program (MRP).
Martin Wee, Department of Science and Technology 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula) director, said Friday the Kabalikat award aims to recognize local government unit (LGU) – technology partners, who are actively working with DOST-FNRI in addressing the concern of malnutrition through the production of complementary food products for the feeding programs in Malnutrition Reduction Program (MRP) areas.
Wee said Tungawan has been recognized as FNRI-MRP Technology Partner in the Large-Scale Category for demonstrating economic viability, and rapid return of investment, involving the spirit of cooperative movement and potential for expansion and sourcing of raw materials from local farmers, in an effort to address malnutrition among infants and children up to five years of age.
He said the project started in 2015 together with five regions as beneficiaries through the DOST Grants-in-Aid (DOST-GIA).
Tungawan was chosen as beneficiary because of its commitment to address the issue of malnutrition and being one of the Top 10 municipalities with a high malnutrition rate here in the Zamboanga Peninsula region.
He said the DOST-FNRI assisted the municipality of Tungawan by training Mothers and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) in malnutrition prevention measures. The town established a food production facility that produces sufficient amount of “Mongo Curls” and “Mongo Baby Food Blend”.
The Mongo Curls retail at PHP6 for each 30-gram pack and the Mongo Baby Food Blends at PHP5 “making these products very affordable, thus, addressing malnutrition in the area,” the DOST-9 chief said.
He said that various LGUs in the Zamboanga Peninsula and Tawi-Tawi as well as the departments of social welfare, labor, and health are some of the clients of the facility. (Teofilo Garcia, Jr/PNA)
