by Romblon News/PR | Friday, 22 April 2016
To brace the pillars of a healthy lifestyle as promoted by the Department of Science and Technology Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), DOST-MIMAROPA through the Provincial Science and Technology Center in Romblon (PSTC- Romblon) extended training on DOST PINGGANG PINOY to Baranggay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) recently at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall, of the local government unit of Romblon, Romblon.
The two-day activity was carried out as an offshoot of the vision of the local government to combat malnutrition in the locality and implement proper food preparation among households. Thirty-two BNS had a chance to participate in the training composed of six modules that concentrated on proper nutrition and food management delivered by experts from FNRI— Josefina Gonzales, Jasmine Sune, and Regina Pagaspas. The training provided an implementation guide for the DOST Pinggang Pinoy Program.
The DOST Pinggang Pinoy Program as discussed in the first module presents a food plate model that communicates in the most comprehensible and strategic way the right food group proportions on a per person, per-meal basis. It serves as a guide and visual tool to help Filipinos practice right eating habits to meet their body’s energy and nutrient needs.
Other modules that were discussed during the training include: best practices for pregnant women, proper breastfeeding and its advantage for the mother and the baby; effective food preparation, meal planning, and management; food safety; and backyard farming. The experts recommended to the participants to practice backyard and organic farming not only to minimize their daily expenses but also to ensure that the produce they use in preparing food are fresh and free from pesticide residues. Among the recommended crops are ginger and ampalaya as these are highly nutritious and easy to grow. Other in-season crops were also recommended to the participants. The training concluded with the experts reminding the participants that the latest innovations on food, drink, and activity choices would be all useless if one could not relate its effects on people’s health.(MAFF/ACLV/DOST-PSTC)
