Naga wins BNS Regional Nutri-quiz Bee anew

BY JASON B. NEOLA

BNS AWARDING.Marilou Jimenez, Barangay Nutrition Scholar of Bgy, Carolina, Naga City (2nd from left) receives the P 5,000 cash prize and a certificate of recognition from Dr. Alejo Aralar of DOH-Center for Health Development 5, chairman of the board of judges, for being the regional champion in the annual Nutri- Quiz contest. FLORENCIO P. NARITO/Bicol Mail

FROM the time it started in 2009, the winners in the annual BNS Regional Nutri-Quiz Bee of the National Nutrition Council and the Nutrition Communication Network in the Bicol Region have so far come from only one place – the City of Naga.

Already, three Barangay Nutrition Scholars from this city romped away with the highest scores in the oral question-answer competitions from 2009 to 2011, besting BNS contestants from other cities and municipalities in the Bicol region.

This year’s Nutri-Quiz Bee champion is Barangay Nutrition Scholar Marilou A. Jimenez of Barangay Carolina, here. She bested 10 other contestants leading to the championship round during the competitions held December 5 at Gaisano Activity Center in Legazpi City.

City Mayor Bongat congratulated Jimenez for bringing to Naga the top honor, the third time in a row.

Jimenez received P5,000 plus a certificate of recognition and a microwave oven from the Department of Science and Technology - Nutrition Communication Network (NUTRICOMNET), the sponsor of the contest.

Nutrition Officer 1 Raquel Buere of the Naga City Government said the contest is one way of measuring the intelligence and experience of each participant on the government’s various programs on food and nutrition.
In 2009, BNS Renalyn Calañada of Concepcion Pequeña bagged the regional nutri-quiz contest. She was succeeded by Marilou Cañete of Concepcion Grande in 2010.

Jimenez impressed the judges for her accurate answers to basic and major questions, especially when she proved that she understands well the Philippine Action Plan for Nutrition as the country’s response to the problem of malnutrition.

Meanwhile, the City Population and Nutrition Office here organized an on-the-spot poster making contest held at the LCC Event Center and “Buntis” Congress at the SM City Naga Activity Center in celebration of the population and development (PopDev) week last November 23-29, this year.

Buntis Congress puts emphasis on the importance of exclusive breastfeeding and responsible parenthood including complementary feeding, safe pregnancy, and the importance of Iron to pregnant women.

City Population and Nutrition Officer Ma. Teresita Del Castillo said the activities sought to raise further public consciousness of the government’s various population programs.
This year’s PopDev Week theme is “Population, Poverty, and Governance” with “Responsableng Pagpapamilya para sa Kaunlaran: Sa Tamang Agwat ng Panganganak, Pamilya ay Aangat” as its sub-theme.

The BNS regional champion will represent Bicol in next year’s nationwide search for the Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar.

Cañete, of Naga City, last year’s BNS regional champion, was honored as 2010 Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar during the National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony held last Oct. 25 at the PICC.

For besting, 38,000 fellow scholars nationwide, she received P 100,000 cash prize, a laptop, a trophy from the National Nutrition Council, and a 4-year scholarship from AGHAM party-list.

Buntis Congress is a national campaign to promote safe motherhood, pioneered by ABS-CBN radio station DZMM. It aims to improve maternal health during and after pregancy.