BONTOC, Mountain Province – Bontoc is the only municipality in Mountain Province and one among the only seven municipalities in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) that was awarded a Green Banner Seal of Compliance Award for this year’s Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) in Baguio City.
The Green Banner Seal of Compliance is awarded to Local Government Units (LGUs) with an average rating not lower than 60% per dimension and an overall rating of at least 85% using the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) Pro Tool.
As a Green Banner Seal of Compliance Awardee, Bontoc will receive a P10,000 incentive from the Department of Health (DOH).
The said award was presented by Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., Municipal Health Officer Dr. Diga Kay Gomez, and Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Venous Faith Cofulan before the employees of the Bontoc Local Government Unit (LGU) and partner agencies and stakeholders on November 28, 2023, coinciding with the Flag Raising Ceremony.
The said award was earlier received by Sangguniang Bayan members Julian Chumacog, Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Venous Faith Cofulan, and Nutritionist Dietitian II Mary Dianne Saong-Monte during the RNAC.
Aside from the Green Banner Seal of Compliance Award, Bontoc received two Certificates of Commendation. These include a Certificate of Commendation for commendable performance in sustaining below 10% prevalence rate of stunting among 0-59 months old children based on the 2022 Operation Timbang Plus Results and for its commendable performance in achieving a continuous prevalence decrease in the stunting among 0-59 months old children from 2010-2022 based on Operation Timbang Plus Results.
Mayor Tudlong in his message credited the accolades to distinct nutrition innovations and collaborative efforts of the Bontoc LGU workforce and partner stakeholders down to the barangay level.
He said that the award will also serve as an inspiration to the municipality to continue its advocacy in making every resident healthy by promoting the consumption of nutritious food, proper diet, and exercise.
The other Green Banner Seal of Compliance Awardees in CAR are Kibungan and Sablan in Benguet Province; Balbalan in Kalinga; Asipulo, Hungduan, and Lamut, all in Ifugao.
Meanwhile, the other municipalities in Mountain Province that received Certificates of Commendation as LGUs with a consistent decrease in the stunting prevalence from 2020-2022 were Bauko, Paracelis, Sagada and Tadian. Also, the municipalities that received Certificates of Commendation for LGU with below 10% stunting prevalence among 0-59 months children in 2022 were Bauko, Barlig, and Sabangan.