Bundok ng Nutrisyon (Danao City, Cebu)

The prevalence of malnutrition among pre-school children in far-flung barangays of Danao City was a primary concern of the city government. The sheer distance from health facilities in the city compounded by the scarcity of transportation facilities prevented parents of malnourished children to avail of the nutrition programs and services of the LGU. While the City Health Department and the City Nutrition Committee (CNC) would occasionally conduct health visits and check-ups, such activity were not sufficient to fully address the malnutrition problem in the mountain barangays.

To address this concern, the local government of Danao, through the CNC put up a project known as “Bundok ng Nutrisyon.” Located in Barangay Lawaan, the project site covers a one-hectare government lot originally allotted for agriculture. Bundok ng Nutrisyon project was conceptualized to arrest the alarming rise of malnutrition in the rural areas. It presently consists of an administration building, nutri-rooms where children aged 0-6 are assessed, treated and rehabilitated for nutritional deficiencies, a livelihood training center where caregivers are provided training on income-generating activities, and a farm lot for vegetable gardening, cattle and goat farming, and tilapia farming.

Overall, the project yielded the following positive results: (1) increased rapport with the LGU and the community, particularly the residents of mountain barangays in Danao City; (2) acquisition of skills of caregivers on various
income-generating projects;(3) increase in livelihood opportunities for rural folks, and on top of all, (4) significant decrease in the rate of malnutrition among pre-school children in the mountain barangays.

One of the major concerns confronting the city government of Danao was the rising number of malnourished children in far-flung barangays, particularly the mountain barangays of Danao City. While the local government through the City Nutrition Committee (CNC) and the City Health Department would conduct health visits and check-ups in these areas on intermittent schedules, such undertakings were not  deemed sustainable nor sufficient to curb the rate of malnutrition. This was primarily because local residents did not have accessible place or station where health and nutrition services could be permanently availed of.

Because of the distance from health facilities located in the city, malnourished children from mountain barangays had nowhere to go for treatment and rehabilitation. While the Danao District Hospital, whose chief also serves as active member of CNC, has since been maintaining a nutri-ward for the treatment of malnourished children, such facility could only cater to the needs of children coming from the lowlands and near barangays by reason of their proximity to the hospital. Parents could seldom avail themselves of the nutri-ward and health services for their malnourished children because of the distance from their residence compounded by lack of transportation facilities in the upland areas.

Because of these constraints, the city government of Danao, through the City Nutrition Committee (CNC), decided after much deliberation  and planning, to put up a project, known as “Bundok ng Nutrisyon” to cater to the needs of malnourished children in the mountain barangays.

The main objectives of the project are as follow:

1. To establish a treatment and rehabilitation center for malnourished children coming from the mountain barangays of Danao City;
2. To develop and/or increase the livelihood skills of caregivers through participation in income-generating activities; and
3. To decrease the rate of malnutrition among pre-school children in the affected barangays by the end of 2006;

To meet the project objectives, the local government embarked on a massive information campaign among barangay leaders particularly those near the project site to gain support and advocacy. It also tapped the participation and cooperation of local government entities in the city such as the Agriculture Department which willingly provided the project site, the DSWD which also provided assistance so that caregivers who finish livelihood training programs and are willing to market their products get easy access to credit facilities.