MABALACAT, Pampanga — In time for Mother’s Day, Mayor Crisostomo “Cris” Garbo has launched the “Mother and Child Gabay sa Tamang Nutrition Pack” aimed to provide proper nutrition to both the mother and child in the first 1,000 days.
During the launching, Mayor Garbo and City Nutrition Officer Joronny Gladys Lingat distributed to nutritionally-at-risk pregnant and breastfeeding women (with infants 0-6 months old) nutrition packs. The packs include Go, Glow and Grow foods like fresh vegetables and root crops from local farmers of the city, fruits, bread, eggs and iodized salt.
Garbo, a medical course graduate, said the first 1,000 days of a child’s life, which begins from conception until a child reaches his or her 2nd birthday, is the most crucial stage of a child’s overall health and development.
It is very important, the mayor added, to support a child’s nutrition at this stage, through providing proper nutrition to pregnant women, promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and proper infant and young child feeding practices.
Meanwhile, tablets (ferrous sulfate with folic acid) and supplements (lipid-based nutrients) were also given away for the improvement of the mother and child’s health and nutrition status.
During the week-long Mother’s Day celebration that runs from May 4 to 8, 2020, the city government will distribute nutripacks in all barangays in this city.
The City Nutrition Office also distributed leaflets on the current DOH Advisory on pre-natal care during the COVID-19 pandemic; as well as breastfeeding and complementary food recipes.
In partnership with the City Agriculture Office, vegetable seeds were also distributed to promote vegetable gardening and healthier food choices at home.
“Through proper nutrition, we can help our pregnant mothers to stay healthy and breastfeeding mothers to continue to exclusively breastfeed their infants and provide proper complementary food to their children even during this time of crisis. Happy Mother’s Day to all amazing Moms,” the mayor stressed.