Legarda Calls for Heightened Action as Phl Ranked 4th among Countries Affected by Climate Change

In light of the results of the 2013 Global Climate Risk Index, which ranked the Philippines fourth among more than 190 countries greatly affected by climate change in the past 20 years, Senator Loren Legarda today called for heightened action from all communities across the Philippines.

“Despite increasing awareness about climate change over the past few years, the damage of irresponsible development models and large-scale environmental destruction has not yet been reversed. I urge all communities from all walks of life to contribute to the efforts in lessening our greenhouse gas emissions and decreasing our overall carbon footprint,” she remarked.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and UN Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation in Asia Pacific, noted that all sectors can contribute to the fight against climate change.

“Government officials, especially at the local level, can increase preparedness by implementing our laws such as the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act and the Climate Change Act, and by using the People's Survival Fund,” she said.

“Business communities should be encouraged to invest in clean new technologies, adopt energy efficiency measures and re-engineer corporate social responsibility to reflect the joint values of achieving business sustainability through building disaster-resilient local communities. Even we, in our own homes, can strive for sustainable means of living through recycling, composting, and lessening our use of non-renewable resources,” she detailed.

Legarda added that the media should underscore the message that it is time to recognize that disasters, turbocharged by a changing climate, can undo years of development gains, and that, unsound and short-sighted development practices play a significant role in worsening disaster risks.

She cited World Bank’s estimate that for every dollar invested in disaster reduction measures saves seven to ten dollars in losses from natural hazards.

“We will never tire of reiterating our call for heightened action on disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation because we have to free ourselves from the exhausting and costly cycle of rebuilding our communities every single time a natural hazard occurs,” Legarda concluded.

Rep. Montejo expresses gratitude to Comelec for inclusion of An Waray to join 2013 polls

TACLOBAN CITY-Representative Neil Benedict Montejo expressed his elation and at the same time, gratitude for the inclusion of their party-list group, the An Waray, for next year’s elections under the party-list system.

Montejo said that with the Commission on Elections giving the An Waray party-list the green light as one of the 79 accredited party-list groups to join the elections, the issue on its legitimacy is now beyond question.

“With no less than the Comelec, the sole body which accredits party-list groups, I think that issue (is now resolved). And we could only express our thanks and gratitude to the Comelec,” Montejo, in a phone interview, said.

Montejo, who is seeking for a second term, is the first nominee of the An Waray party-list group for the May,2013 elections.

The founder of the group, Rep.Florencio “Bem” Noel is now serving his last and third term and has filed his certificate of candidacy for mayor of Tacloban against incumbent, Mayor Alfred Romualdez.

On Thursday, the Comelec announced the accreditation of 79 party-list groups which could join the elections. The commission has been delisting several party-list groups as part of its effort to cleanse the system against non-functioning groups.

It has expelled about four party-list groups yesterday, bringing the list to more than 20 which included that of the group of former presidential son, Miguel Arroyo and controversial retired Army General, Jovito Palparan.

Earlier, the An Waray group, through Rep. Noel, engaged a verbal tussle in the media with the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan)-Sinirangan Bisayas as the former questioned the legitimacy of the An Waray.

This also resulted for the temporary closure of the regional office of the An Waray based in Tacloban.

The Bayan Muna has even filed a disqualification case against An Waray before the Comelec.

Rep. Montejo, however, declined to comment on the implication of this disqualification case filed by the militant group now that the Comelec has accredited the An Waray to join next year’s mid-term balloting.

“I really don’t know about it. Right now, what I would like to convey is to say our gratitude and thanks to the Comelec,” Montejo said.

Legarda Lauds Philippines’ Vote on Palestine’s UN Recognition

Senator Loren Legarda today welcomed the United Nations General Assembly decision granting non-member observer state status to Palestine and lauded the affirmative vote extended by the Philippines during the general assembly voting.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, said that the UN has taken a constructive move towards the fulfillment of a long overdue two-state solution that will hopefully lead to lasting peace, recalling that the Philippines was one of the countries that had supported the UN General Assembly Resolution 181 in 1947 that partitioned Palestine into two states toward achieving a solution to the conflict.

“It is time for the Israelis and the Palestinians to take constructive and progressive steps toward achieving lasting and meaningful peace,” she said. 

“Our own experiences have shown that peace is only possible if there is political will and the openness by parties concerned to resume negotiations on the basis of a shared desire to achieve lasting peace,” she added.

Legarda explained that by the said vote, the world community calls the attention of the parties to be guided by various UN Security Council resolutions, the Madrid principles, and other relevant agreements.

“It is time the parties resume direct negotiations. More than 160 deaths, mostly civilians have been recorded recently as violence broke out this month on account of rocket attack exchanges between Gaza and Israel.  A ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian Group Hamas has recently been declared bringing a temporary end to the hostilities,” she pointed out.

“A more durable and just peace is needed for the sake of present and future generations of Palestinians and Israelis,” Legarda concluded.

Legarda Joins Call to Save Philippine Marine Turtles

Senator Loren Legarda today joined the call to save the Philippine Marine Turtles or "Pawikan" at the 2012 Pawikan Festival held at the Pawikan Conservation Center in Morong, Bataan.

Legarda, keynote speaker at the event, remarked that the Pawikan is one of the oldest species that have survived to this day, and are among those that live the longest.

“Pawikans are majestic creatures found throughout the country. However, because of poaching, theft of their eggs for commercial purposes, and destruction of their habitat, they are in danger of becoming extinct,” she said.

“There is no denying that we have become the biggest threat to their existence and to the existence of many other species of animals,” she added.

Legarda, Chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change and United Nations Regional Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific, emphasized that the destruction of marine habitats means great losses for many sources of livelihood, including tourism, as well as depletion of food supply.

“I laud the local government of Bataan for their initiatives to protect, conserve, and rehabilitate the Pawikan population. Future generations will be thankful for the concerted action they have achieved,” she said.

The Senator also urged the people of Bataan to spread their advocacy to other communities in the Philippines, saying that we can and should reverse the trend, and stop those who are plundering the seas for their own gain.

“The environment is threatened by the times, by the pressures of modern society, by our very species. But let this be a challenge to harness science and involve our citizens. Let us take that one vital step forward for a safe and green environment for all,” Legarda concluded.

LGUs gears up for Christmas Festival 2012

Samar capitol and Catbalogan City will both open grandiose Christmas Festival activities on the first day of December.

Samar capitol has sponsored a “Light a Tree” contest for government offices and private establishments with a grand prize of P50,000.

As early as last week of November, offices have started lighting their assigned trees with colorful lanterns giving a festive spirit for park goers.

Meanwhile, Catbalogan City sponsors Panarit Pamasko: Christmas Carol Singing Contest.

Then there is the “Pasko Pasikatay,” a barangay hall decorating contest, aimed at involving the communities and barangay folks in celebrating a greener Christmas by using indigenous materials.

The city government also involves the Samar Chamber of Commerce and Industry by encouraging its members to put up Christmas lighting and decorations outside their respective establishments for a merrier yuletide season.

In return, LGU is offering a free LED advertising for five spots per day as a promotional support to the business partners.

The public is anticipating a brighter and merrier Christmas season In Samar’s capital.

Meanwhile, in the Christmas Capitol of Leyte as the much-awaited holiday season is fast approaching, the local government of Palo under the leadership of Mayor Remedios Loreto Petilla, is currently preparing its annual Palo Christmas Festival tradition.

People annually visit the municipality which turns into an enchanting Palo Christmas Village, clear manifestation of the town’s public and private partnership as every house, every private and public office is decorated with lights and other symbols of Christmas.

For this year, several innovations are being introduced by the mayor - the Christmas Festival competitions will include the search for the Best Decorated and lighted Barangay Main Street Competition for barangays Buri, Arado, Cavite East, Cavite West, Cogon, Sta. Cruz, Naga-Naga, St. Michael, Salvacion, Guindapunan, Pawing, Baras, Luntad, and San Fernando.

Other competitions include the search for the Best Christmas Lantern; the Santa Claus Making contest; the Best Decorated Barangay Hall; Best Christmas Tree using recyclable materials; the Best Belen and the Best Lighted and Well-Decorated Government Agency.

Petilla encourages all barangay officials, Palo residents, business establishments and government offices to once again join this annual activity.

The mayor said the Palo Christmas Festival will start on December 14 until the Feast of the Three Kings on January 6, 2013.

There will be Nightly Shows at the Palo Plaza where various competitions will be featured, among which are “Paskoshion” Competition (recyclable Materials); Hip-hop Competition - Kids Category; Hip-hop Competition - Teen Category; Siday Competition; Christmas Caroling - Youth and Adult Category; Christmas Caroling - Children Category; Dance Drama Competition (For teachers); Drama Competition; and Giant Puppet Competition.

A visit to Enchanting Palo, will not be complete without dropping by the Christmas House of the Saboren Family, as the Christmas festival was initiated 25 years ago by famous tenor Enrique Saboren. To encourage others to the idea of a Christmas Village, he started by decorating his entire house converting it into a Christmas House.

Meanwhile, in a radio interview, Palo Councilor Wilson Uy said that the Duaw Palo program of Mayor Petilla calls for the institutionalization of the culture of Palo through 4Ps that includes Pamalandong during the Holy Week Season, Patron in August, Pagbalik ha Palo for the Leyte Landing celebration in the month of October and Pasko.

SORIA LEADS OPENING OF PRO8 CHRISTMAS SPORTSFEST

            Camp Kangleon, Palo, Leyte, November 28, 2012 – Police Regional Director Chief Superintendent ELMER RAGADIO SORIA led the opening ceremonies of Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) Christmas Sportsfest 2012 at PRO8 Grandstand yesterday afternoon.

            “Subscribing to the principle that a “Sound Mind Breeds Sound Body”, PRO8 adopted a physical fitness and sports development program geared towards the promotion and development of sports in the Philippine National Police and the implementation of a physical conditioning and physical fitness program for its personnel,” SORIA informed.

           PRO8’s Human Resource Doctrine and Development Division (RPHRDD) prepared a simple program to usher in the start of the sports competition aimed at developing the total well-being, health and physical fitness of PNP personnel in the region and promote the morale, discipline and esprit-de-corps among them.

An advocate of sports and healthy lifestyle, SORIA believes that the sportsfest will not only showcase the participants’ athletic abilities but also develop teamwork among the players, build stronger camaraderie and friendship and inculcate the true essence of sportsmanship.

“As police work is inherently stressful, this is a form of diversion from our daily routines and a way to relieve stress, to unwind from mind-exhausting workloads or compliances; and most of all, to keep us healthy and physically fit,” the PNP regional director said in his message.

Players from all the sports, not just from basketball, which kicked off after the ceremonies, represented their teams, carrying their team banners in a brief parade around the PRO8 oval.

Lasting for nearly half hour, this year’s opening rites was highlighted by the raising of team banners and the search for Ms. PRO8 Christmas Sportsfest 2012, won by NUP Elizamar Reposar of the Red Team.

The sportsfest is participated in by 7 teams with the following team colors: Yellow team (Office of the Regional Director, Command Group), Blue team (Regional Headquarters Administrative Divisions), Red team (Regional Headquarters Operations Divisions), White team (Tacloban City Police Office), Black team (Leyte Police Provincial Office), Orange team (National Support Units) and Green team (Regional Public Safety Battalion 8).

The events to be contested are Mountain Biking (men and women/individual and team), Basketball (men), Volleyball (men and women) and Lawn Tennis (men/singles) and will be conducted during athletic days every Tuesday and Thursday and the awarding of prizes to Top 3 teams/individuals will be held during the PRO8 Christmas Party.

SORIA reminded the participants that the main purpose of the sportsfest goes beyond exhibiting the colorful uniforms and sports abilities but on the partnership they will enjoy with their respective team, the friendship that will be developed and the solidarity that will be built.

“Sports are not just about competition and winning, sports are also about laughing and having fun,” SORIA ended.

Gov. Daza: NDF statement not true

TACLOBAN CITY – The statement issued by the National Democratic Front (NDF) against them was a result of his position being the Regional Peace and Order Council(RPOC) chairman and his effort to the peace and order activities that they are doing for Samar Island.

On November 26, 2012 the NDF through its spokesperson Fr. Santiago Salas issued a statement at their website branding the Dazas like the Ampatuans in Maguindanao.

“The continuing human rights violations under the military’s Oplan Bayanihan and the Dazas’ capacity for political violence have combined to create a climate of impunity in Northern Samar,” Fr. Salas said in his statement.

But this statement of Fr Salas, according to the Gov.Daza, was a misstatement and is incorrect.

“We are doing good in the peace and order activities in Samar Island like the constructions of roads that interconnect towns and barangays, reason why I become an easy target for them”  Daza said.

“But my job is to do what is best for my constituents and also for the region,” Daza added, stressing that he will continue to support all development activities for the region.

In the statement also of Salas, it states that the Dazas comprise another political dynasty who like the Ampatuans are suspected of massive corruption but enjoy the patronage of the national government and are cozy with the military and using the so-called “force multipliers” such as the Barangay Peacekeeping Action Teams (BPATs) meant for “counterinsurgency” as their own private army.

The BPAT project is an initiative of the PNP Director for Police Community Relations (DPCR) as a strategy to involve the community in the fight against criminalities at the barangay level.

BPATs are trained for unarmed patrolling, self-defense, traffic management, disaster relief and rescue operations which they can use in conducting their role as “force multipliers”.

In the recent RPOC  meeting held in the city of Tacloban presided by Gov.Daza, samar area coordinator for the Pamana Project of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process Imelda Bonifacio lauded the governor of Northern Samar for  his support to BPATs in his province.

OPPAP as part of their Pamana Project implementation had urged local government units to support the establishment of BPATs in their area especially in those places where law enforcer’s number is not equated to the number of population.

Each BPAT team is headed by a police officer who will act as their immediate supervisor.

Moreover, in this statement released by the NDF that tag the Dazas as “enemy of the people” the Armed Forces of the Philippines stationed in Eastern Visayas had promised protect the governor if they will ask for security arrangement with them.

Colonel Roberto Capulong, chief operations officer of the 8th Infantry Division based in Catbalogan City, said that the rebel group issued hate statement against the governor due to his support to infrastructure projects in the island of Samar that are instrumental for development and are considered to be pro-poor project where the beneficiaries are mostly from the rural areas. 

Is your Christmas diet naughty or nice?

If there is a time of the year that you allow yourself to relax and forget about strict diet and constant work-out trips to the gym, it’s the coming festive season. It’s when you are already winding down towards the end of the working year and gearing up for the holiday season. There are lots of parties to attend, fruit cakes to nibble and noche Buena leftovers to enjoy, along with the relaxing cool breeze.

Despite the festivities of the season, remember to limit the days when you are overeating to avoid over-indulgence. Here are some strategies to pacify your holiday fangs:

1.      Have a healthy snack before you go to a party or function. Filling foods such as sandwiches or a bowl of cereal is a good idea.

2.      More than usual when you arrive at a party, you tend to be thirsty and in response you drink the first drink fast. Quench your thirst with a glass of water instead of a high-calorie alcoholic or soft drink;

3.      Enjoy one or two small treats so you don’t feel deprived but don’t go back for third and fourth servings. If you overfill your plate, you are more likely to eat a much larger portion than usual, so go easy!

4.      Also, take into account your feeling of fullness. Don’t keep nibbling just because food is there. Position yourself away from the buffet table. This will prevent you from grabbing small servings every now and then.

5.      Lastly, if you are the host, encourage guests to take home leftovers so you are not tempted to over-indulge the following day.

Finally, in order to keep you in Santa’s “nice” list, here are some tips on how to effortlessly burn few calories this season while having fun:

1. Go Christmas shopping!  Walking around in a large mall or shopping center makes for great activity and fun. You just can’t get a better activity combination!
2. Do the old standard. Park your vehicle a few meters from the building and walk. Yes, it’s an old tip but still one of the best. Use the stairs instead of the elevators and escalators.
3. Wrap those packages!  And once yours are all bundled up, volunteer to wrap some more.
4. Bake some home-made holiday bread. It’s a great exercise due to the kneading of the bread and a great personalized gift, too!
5. Grab some friends and go caroling. A brisk walk along the neighborhood gives you and your friends a great workout.

The festive season is upon us once again, and for most of us, this means excessive amounts of eating, drinking and missing daily exercise routines. These are easy tips to remember that can be summed up in four words: variety, moderation, balance and activity. Eat a variety of food and balance it with correct portions from each of the food groups. Just eat enough, not in excess or lack. By keeping these tips in mind, you will be sure to have a merrier holiday season.

Multiple micronutrient supplement for pregnant more beneficial

The outcome of pregnancy is highly dependent on the health status of the mother.

According to the 7^th National Nutrition Survey (NNS) by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) in 2008, 26.3 percent of pregnant women are nutritionally-at-risk for delivering low birth weight infants.

Moreover, the prevalence rate of anemia among pregnant women is 42.5 percent and 9.5 percent for Vitamin A deficiency, the survey also disclosed.

This high rate of undernourished pregnant women translates into high rate of undernourished babies.

One of the effective strategies in uplifting the nutritional status of pregnant women is micronutrient supplementation.

Presently, pregnant women benefit from the iron, vitamin A and iodine supplementation programs of the government.

Based on the results of the 7^th NNS, 34.3 percent of pregnant women received iron supplementation while, 6.6 percent got vitamin A supplementation and only 2.9 percent benefited from iodine supplementation.

Interventions are always focused on these single nutrient supplementations but multiple nutrient supplementations can also be given to pregnant women due to their additional nutrient requirements.

At present, there are no local studies showing the effects of multiple micronutrient supplementations on the health status of pregnant women.

The FNRI-DOST looked into the benefits of multiple micronutrient supplementation composed of iron, vitamin A, vitamin B2, folate and zinc to anemic pregnant women instead of just giving a single nutrient.

In the study, three groups of anemic pregnant women received three different nutrient supplementations namely the multi-micronutrient, iron-folic acid and iron alone.

Based on the results of the study, anemia prevalence among anemic pregnant women who received the multi-micronutrient supplementation significantly dropped to 12.8 percent compared to the anemia prevalence of those who received iron-folic acid at 27.3 percent and those who received iron only at 46.9 percent.

Even though the amount of iron in the multi-micronutrient supplementations is lower than those of iron-folic acid only and iron alone, there is still a significant improvement in the iron status of pregnant women.

 Improvement in vitamin B2 and folate status were also noted for pregnant women who took the multi-micronutrient supplementation.

 Furthermore, pregnant women who received the multi-micronutrient and iron-folic acid supplementations reduced incidence of low birth weight babies, premature deliveries and low occurrence of neonatal deaths compared to those who received iron alone.

Based on the positive results of this study, the government should consider giving multiple micronutrient supplementation to pregnant women instead of iron alone. 

Zinc deficiency in selected population groups determined

Zinc is an important mineral needed by the body. Its main function in our body is for growth and development, and also for proper immune function. Aside from these, it also plays a role in wound healing and normal sense of taste.

A deficiency in zinc can cause many problems because of its many functions in the body. Some symptoms of the deficiency include hair loss, growth retardation and loss of sense of taste and smell. These symptoms can vary from person to person.

Little is known about the zinc status or the magnitude of zinc deficiency in the Filipino population.

Because of this, a study was done by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) to know the risk of zinc deficiency among the Filipino population. Serum zinc was used to determine the zinc status of the population because it is known as the best biomarker for zinc.

The study aimed to determine the zinc levels and magnitude of deficiency among selected population groups like the infants and preschool children six months to five years old, female adolescents 13-19 years, elderly males and females 60 years old and over, and pregnant women.

Based on the results, the prevalence of zinc deficiency was 21.6 and 20.6 percent, for infants and preschoolers, as well as female adolescents, respectively. The prevalence among pregnant women was 21.5 percent. The elderly males had the highest prevalence at 33.6 percent while the elderly females had 24.5 percent prevalence.

The prevalence of zinc deficiency was of high magnitude at equal or more than 20 percent among the selected population groups. Of all the population groups included in the study, the elderly had the highest prevalence of zinc deficiency.

The zinc status of these population groups is a public health. It must be ensured that the daily nutrient requirement for zinc is always met to avoid metabolic disorders mentioned.

Based on the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI) for Filipinos developed by the FNRI-DOST, each age group has a different requirement for zinc every day.

It is important that the requirement is met to prevent zinc deficiency. The chart below presents the requirements for zinc for the different age groups and gender per day:

Population Group	Zinc (mg)
Infants From birth up to < 6 months From 6 months to < 12 months	1.4 4.2
Children 1 year old to 3 years old 4 years old to 6 years old 6 years old to 9 years old	4.5 5.4 5.4
Males 10 years old to 12 years old 13 years old to 15 years old 16 years old to 18 years old 19 years old to 29 years old 30 years old to 49 years old 50 years old to 64 years old 65 years old and up	6.8 9.0 8.9 6.4 6.4 6.4 6.4
Females 10 years old to 12 years old 13 years old to 15 years old 16 years old to 18 years old 19 years old to 29 years old 30 years old to 49 years old 50 years old to 64 years old 65 years old and up	6.0 7.9 7.0 4.5 4.5 4.5 4.5
Pregnant women 1st trimester 2nd trimester 3rd trimester	5.1 6.6 9.6
Lactating women 1st six months 2nd six months	11.5 11.5

Reference: Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENI), 2002

Rich food sources of zinc include milk, meats, poultry, nuts, legumes and whole grain cereals.

But the absorption of zinc can be inhibited by high concentration of fiber and phytates. Fiber is found mainly in fruits and vegetables. On the other hand, phytates are common in legumes and nuts. This compound can bind zinc, thereby inhibiting its absorption.

Strict vegetarians can possibly be at-risk for zinc deficiency because of excessive intake of vegetables.

A well-balanced diet consumed in recommended amounts can provide the daily requirements not only for zinc, but for all the nutrients needed by the body.

Urban living can make you overweight

Most people want to live in urban areas because they think it is here where they can be successful. But can urban living really make a person overweight, among other trade-offs?

Urban living means fast living. People rely on fats food for daily meals. People are always busy with work and therefore don’t have extra time for regular exercise. People rely on computers and cell phones for faster work and communication. As a result, they are mostly sedentary and lack rigorous physical activity. People often use vehicles for faster transportation, even if the destination is just a walking distance.

For these reasons, urban living can make you overweight.

Based on the 2008 National Nutrition survey (NNS) by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), the region with the highest prevalence of overweight among adults aged 20 years old and above is the National Capital Region (NCR) or Metro Manila with 32.2 percent (%).

Overweight and obesity are one of the serious problems of the modern world today. It is the fifth leading risk to global death. Twenty-two medical disorders and twelve types of cancers can develop from being overweight.

Dr. Philip T. James MD, President of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, reporter that the problem of obesity is like climate change. People know there that there is a problem and yet they don’t want to do anything about it.

But can we really do something about it?

Here are some tips to make urban living healthy:

• Avoid eating in restaurant buffets or in eat rice-all-you-can fast foods. This setting encourages eating more even if we are already full.
• Don’t skip breakfast even when busy. Giving up breakfast does not make you slimmer because it slows down metabolism.
• Add more colors to your plate by eating vegetables and fruits. Have a ready vegetable salad in your refrigerator rather than having ready to eat cup noodles which are usually high in sodium, fat, artificial flavours and preservatives.
• Avoid softdrinks and powdered juice during meals. Just drink lots of water.
• When buying food, especially processed and packaged fresh produce, read labels to be aware of ingredients, nutrients, claims and expiry date.
• Encourage your workplace to have a regular physical activity for employees.
• Plan a weekend exercise with friends at the nearby park, backyard or front lawn.
• Popularize a trend, like riding bicycle to work if your location permits you.
• When in the workplace, avoid using the telephone to communicate with your co-workers. Walk and talk to them personally.
• Avoid using the elevator or escalator when not in a hurry or when not bringing heavy things. Use the staircase, instead.

Overweight and obesity do not only threaten the health of those in the urban areas but also rural folks. Urban dwellers are just more prone to becoming overweight because of their environment.

People in the rural areas or in provinces are also encouraged to practice healthy living by making healthy food choices and increasing or sustaining physical activities.

Fighting overweight may not be as easy as it requires long-term commitment and a lot of sweat. Before deciding on a weight loss strategy, make sure you have the heart to do it.

21 in every 100 Pinoy children underweight

In September 2000, members of the United Nations (UN) including the Philippines agreed to the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) of reducing hunger and other forms of human deprivation worldwide.

Goal number one of the MDGs is to eradicate extreme hunger and poverty, wherein one of the targets is reducing in half the proportion of underweight children under 5 years old.

The Philippines’ target is to reduce the underweight prevalence of 27.3 percent in 1990 to 13.7 percent in 2015 in this age group.

The annual average reduction in underweight prevalence was 0.37 percentage points per year from 27.3 percent in 1990 to 20.6 percent in 2008.

According to the 2011 updating survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST), 20.2 percent of Filipino children 0 to 5 years old are underweight.

With this insignificant decrease in the prevalence of underweight children, the Philippines needs to double its effort to reach the target of bringing down to 13.6% the underweight prevalence three years from now.

The FNRI-DOST is helping to reduce the rate of underweight by developing complementary and snack foods like the Rice-Mongo Instant Baby Food and Rice –Mongo –Sesame Baby Food for children six months old and up. The Institute also developed the Rice –Mongo Curls to address this problem among children aged one year old and up.

A 30 gram sachet of Rice-Mongo Instant Baby Food provides 116 calories and 4.0 grams protein, while Rice-Mongo-Sesame Baby Food contains 137 calories and 4.3 grams protein.

On the other hand, a 30- gram pack of Rice-Mongo Curls contains 132 calories and 3.3 grams protein.

The FNRI-DOST recommends three sachets of these complementary foods to be given daily to older children.

In the Sulong Pinoy project of the FNRI-DOST, these complementary and snack foods were fed to 1,000 children 0 to 5 years old for 120 days in selected nutritionally- depressed towns of Leyte, Iloilo, Antique and Occidental Mindoro. The feeding resulted to increase in weight of children who participated in the feeding program.

These food technologies are being promoted to entrepreneurs for commercialization to make them readily available in the market.

The FNRI complementary and snack foods are more economical, compared with commercial brands.

The Philippines can be a step closer in achieving MDG number one, with the wider and faster roll-out of these complementary and snack foods nationwide.

Teen Pregnancy Endangers Young Mom, Baby

Estimates from the 2008 National Demographic and Health Statistics (NDHS) of the National Statistics office (NSO) revealed that about one in every four or 26 percent of women 15-24 years old have begun childbearing.

Of the 26 percent of young mothers, nineteen percent of the births delivered have multiple medical risks due to a combination of the mother’s age, birth interval and birth order, the NDHS further revealed.

A related survey conducted in 2011 by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST) among 1,650 Filipino pregnant women showed that about 40 percent of pregnant teenagers below 15 years old and 36 percent of pregnant teenagers 15-19 years old are nutritionally-at-risk due to their gestational age.

The percentage of nutritionally-at-risk pregnant women was twice higher among those who are less than 20 years old at 36.0 percent than among the 20 years old and up at 23.0 percent, the survey added.

Underutrition among pregnant teens is a significant problem because 43.4 percent of them had low weight gain during pregnancy and more likely to have babies with low birthweight and experience short lactation, the FNRI survey also disclosed.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), stillbirths and death in the first week of life are 50.0 percent higher among babies born to mothers younger than 20 years old than among babies born to mothers 20–29 years old.

In addition, rates of premature birth, low birth weight and asphyxia or difficulty of breathing are higher among babies of adolescents, all of which increase the chance of early death and future health problems, the WHO also noted.

The Population Commission (POPCOM) likewise documented in 2001 that poor nutrition aggravated by multiple pregnancies and closely-spaced births make younger moms more susceptible to infectious diseases as well as health complications that may result to maternal or infant deaths and low birth weight babies.

Maternal depletion or deficiency has adverse effects on the nutrient composition of breastmilk, particularly on vitamin A, iodine, and B complex, thereby increasing the risk of early undernutrition among infants, the POPCOM underscored.