BONTOC, Mountain Province – This capital town is still at a normal level in the prevalence of malnutrition among 0 to 59-month-old children for five straight years.
Five percent and below is considered a low prevalence rate for malnutrition while 10% and below is considered a low prevalence rate in stunting.
This was evident in the report of Nutritionist Dietitian Myra Simeon from the Department of Health-Provincial Office covering the years 2020-2024 during the Municipal Nutrition Council (MNC) Third Quarter Meeting and Program Implementation Review held on August 14, 2024.
The data is based on Operation Timbang Plus, which is the annual weighing and height measurement of all preschoolers 0-59 months old or under five years old in a community to identify and locate malnourished children. It is intended to generate data for nutritional assessment, planning, management and evaluation of local nutrition programs and in identifying who will be given priority interventions in the community.
On underweight, Bontoc had a prevalence rate of 1.71% in 2020 and drastically declined to 0.83% in 2021. It reached to 1.17% in 2022 and increased to 2.30% in 2023. However, it again decreased to 1.15% for this year 2024.
Stunting among 0-59 months children also decreased from 7.09% in 2020 to 5.02% in 2021. It increased to 4.14% in 2022, then declined to 6.07% in 2023, and continuously decreased to 4.90% for 2024.
Meanwhile, the wasting prevalence rate or low weight for height was recorded at 0.51% for 2020, 0.30% in 2021, 0.35% in 2022, 0.82 in 2023, and 0.17% in 2024.
In 2020, the overweight and obesity was logged at 1.54% and increased to 3.07% in 2021. It decreased 1.46% in 2022, increased to 2.13% in 2023 and then decreased to 1.96% in 2024.
Based on the 2024 Operation Timbang Plus conducted by the MNC through the Municipal Health Office in collaboration with the partner stakeholders in the 16 barangays of Bontoc, stunting among 0-59-month-old children recorded the highest. Barangay Alab Oriente has 3.7% stunting prevalence rate and 3.7% in underweight; Alab Proper has 2.86% stunting and 4.29% overweight and obesity; Balili has 15.79% stunting and 2.63% overweight and obesity; Bontoc Ili has 1.73 underweight prevalence rate, 3.47 % stunting, 1.73% overweight and obesity; Caluttit has 1.14% underweight prevalence rate, 1.7% stunting, 1.14% wasting ang 4.55 overweight and obesity; Caneo has 1.96% underweight prevalence rate, 3.92% stunting, and 5.88% overweight and obesity; Guina-ang has 8.75% stunting and 1.25% overweight and obesity; Mainit has 4.21% prevalence rate in underweight, 2.0% in stunting, 1.05% wasting, and 2.11% overweight and obesity; Maligcong has 4.44% prevalence rate in underweight, 17.78% in stunting, and 6.67% in overweight and obesity; Poblacion has 1.56% prevalence rate in underweight, 5.73% in stunting, and 2.08% in overweight and obesity; Samoki has 0.35 prevalence rate in stunting and 1.04% in overweight and obesity; and Talubin has 0.86% prevalence rate in underweight and 1.72% in stunting.
Noteworthy are barangays Bayyo, Dalican, Gonogon and Tocucan, which have only recorded stunting prevalence rates of 8.33%, 1.27%, 11.76%, and 5.63%, respectively and have achieved zero prevalence rates in underweight, wasting, and overweight and obesity.
Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Venous Faith Cofulan remarked that the normal level in the prevalence of malnutrition among 0-59 months children in Bontoc for this year and past years are a result of collaborative efforts of the municipal government and its partner agencies and stakeholders in implementing programs and improving the nutritional status of the people in the community, particularly infants, children, and mothers.
Among the nutrition programs conducted by the municipal government are the regular OPT and validation, monthly monitoring of malnourished cases, and intensive and continuous information, education, and communication campaigns to adolescents and lactating mothers on malnutrition prevention.
As an intervention, families with malnourished children were provided with a livelihood through the Office of the Municipal Agriculturist (OMAg). They were provided with free-range chicken and were encouraged to venture into brown egg production. The MNC also continuously promotes backyard gardening, where the OMAg has provided vegetable seedlings to the parents of malnourished children.
The town’s free newborn screening program is also serving its purpose, especially since home deliveries and delivery in barangay birthing clinics still occur, particularly in far-flung barangays. The result of the newborn screening allows health professionals to administer treatment to mitigate and control the effects.
Also, other activities were conducted, including a Search for the Healthiest Mother and Child, a Cooking Contest for Parents of Malnourished Children, a Search for the Most Functional Barangay Nutrition Council, and others.
Municipal Administrator Eric Fulangen, Sr., who represented Bontoc Mayor Jerome “Chagsen” Tudlong, Jr., lauded the MNC for its distinct nutrition innovations and collaborative efforts. He added that while Bontoc is tagged under the safe zone in the prevalence of malnutrition among 0-59-month-old children, he reminded the members of the MNC and partner stakeholders not to be complacent.
Meanwhile, Sangguniang Bayan member Benedict Odsey II, who is the Chairperson of the Committee on Health, joined Municipal Administrator Fulangen Sr. in recognizing the efforts of the MNC and partner stakeholders.
“Achieving a normal level in the prevalence of malnutrition among 0-59 months old children for five straight years in our town embodies the unending commitment of the government to improve the nutritional status in the country, where no one is left behind. Let us work together in the delivery of nutrition services down to the grassroots- the community,” Odsey added. By Alpine L. Killa-Malwagay
