Grade School Kids In Philippines Unite for Good Nutrition

The Department of Education in partnership with Kraft Cheez Whiz has come up with Palamantasan, the first interschool competition among grade school students nationwide in a quest for nutrition education in Buhangin Elementary School in Davao City. (Mindanao Examiner Photo – Geo Solmerano)

DAVAO CITY, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 18, 2010) - A not-so-fit Future? It has often been said that our future lies in the children of our country.

But what kind of future is in store for us when Philippine Statistics show that approximately 8 million Filipino children are malnourished?

Various nutrition education programs during Nutrition Month have been implemented to underscore the importance of proper nutrition among schoolchildren. To teach schoolchildren about nutrition is already something. But to revolutionize it into a nationwide interschool competition for them to learn is something else.

That is why Kraft Cheez Whiz with the Department of Education has come up with Palamantasan–the first interschool competition among grade school students nationwide in a quest for nutrition education.

In line with the Department of Education’s thrust to enhance nutrition education in schools, Kraft Cheez Whiz chose to do a school-based program to further raise public consciousness. “School is second to home where children learn basic lessons and values,” Alex Dan Tacderas, Category Manager for Cheese and Spoonables, Kraft Foods
Philippines said.

“That is why we wanted to direct our cause and execute our program in schools–in both an enjoyable and educational way,” Tacderas added.

Spearheaded to spread the significance of eating well, Palamantasan will not only last for the whole month of July. This nationwide nutrition advocacy will be conducted until the month of September. “In fighting malnutrition, we vie for sustainability and deep impact on schoolchildren,” Tacderas said.

Students can be Teachers Apart from Palamantasan being an enduring learning experience; it is a transformative way of teaching those in the elementary levels. “These
schoolchildren are at the stage of developing a sense of responsibility,” Paolo Serrano, Senior Brand Manager of Cheez Whiz, Kraft Foods Philippines, said. “This is why we want them to realize the significance of proper nutrition themselves–through a series of
fun, creative and learning activities.”

With the desire to make this competition-based campaign both feasible and fit for the participating schools, different forms of contests were prepared by the well-loved cheese brand. “These are children and we all know they prefer learning in a fun yet challenging way,” Serrano said. “We wanted to relay our cause to the schoolchildren through competitions.”

With contests such as “Jarchitecture” or Jar Art, Speech Choir, Sandwich Making, Essay-writing and more, the overall wit and skill of the participating children will be challenged. “This is not only to find out how much they know about the importance of good nutrition – it’s about them having the opportunity to learn more, apply it and share it with others,” Serrano said.

Over the years, educating children about proper nutrition has been one of the primary advocacies of many institutions. Palamantasan revolutionizes the learning experience of school children in corporate-sponsored nutrition education.

With Palamantasan as a promising project to help children become healthier in more ways than one, the country is continuously given the hope of a better and brighter future. (With a report from Geo Solmerano)

NGOs, Groups Deliver Aid To Mindanao

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / September 11, 2008) - Responding to the humanitarian crisis brought about by armed conflict in Mindanao, the non-government organization Asia America Initiative and other stakeholders delivered medical and other humanitarian supplies worth over P22 million to Christian and Muslim refugees in the trtoubled region.

AAI President Albert Santoli and his Philippine director Rohaniza Sumndad led the mission to Mindanao and at the same time emphasized solidarity and peace-building among Muslim and Christian communities in the areas.

Sumndad, whose family hails from Marawi City in Lanao province, is also organizing peace advocacy among people representing all Filipino cultures.

In the support for the AAI mission, student organizations and various businesses, private organizations local governments have contributed supplies, logistic and manpower to assist the refugees.

“In our interaction with the victims of violence in Iligan City, Lanao del Sur and North Cotabato we learned that this is not a battle between neighbors of different religions, who in some cases, are living together in temporary outdoor shelters and share what little necessities of life are available. They strongly expressed that living in inter-cultural communities, they do not want a religious war,” Sumndad said.

The AAI team said the impacted communities had no basic shelter, medical care and food supplies and not even sanitation or clean water which has now become a desperate priority. Refugees are camped at public schools and multi-purpose centers used as temporary shelters many in muddy rice fields and abandoned lands.

“In every group of refugees we encountered they had little more than clothes on their backs and with the largest population being infants and small children. In some cases, we had to purchase forks and spoons because they do not even have basic tools for survival. They fear going back to their homes because of the growing threat of on-going armed conflict and terror attacks,” Santoli said.

Sumndad said: “Officials and doctors in every refugee centers requested trauma counseling and the need for healing children who were exposed to extreme violence even the murder of family members. Social workers in the camps recommended that healing activities could take the form of simple children’s games. AAI donated stuffed animals and infant toys to help comfort the children in the camps.”

In Lanao del Sur, AAI also inaugurated “Gardens of Peace” (vegetable and flower gardening) project for public schools in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP), the Department of Education and the Provincial Government.

Medical supplies were donated by private companies such as Unilever and MedPharm, and charitable institutions like Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, from student groups at the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University.

Packing and mobilizing in Iligan City was conducted by volunteer students from St. Michael College, Mindanao State University – College of Medicine and an Ayala Young Leader Chapter called AYLA-MILAN. Transportation was provided by NorthWest Airlines and the Philippine Air Lines Foundation.

The Bayanihan Spirit Lives On In Zamboanga Del Norte

ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE (Mindanao Examiner / 23 May) - Who says the "Bayanihan Spirit" among Filipinos has died down? Not in Zamboanga del Norte!

People from all walks of life participated Wednesday in the program of the Department of Education called “Brigada Eskwela” in Jose Dalman town where they helped each in cleaning government schools, according to the Philippine Information Agency.

“Young and old, married and single, professionals and ordinary folks and even some policemen converged together and got themselves busy cleaning the school premises, planting foliage and other ornamental plants, repairing dilapidated chairs and classrooms, repainting faded walls and fences and doing other things to spruce up their schools,” it said.

Brigada Eskwela is a nationwide program -- implemented every May since 2004 -- seeking to draw support from all sectors in the community to get the schools ready before classes begin in June.

Dr Nelfa Acopiado, assistant schools division superintendent, said Brigada Eskwela serves to support program ADZHAR initiated by the Zamboanga del Norte schools division under the auspices of Dr Habib Adzhar H. Sarahadil.

ADZHAR stands for Actualize and Develop a Zeal for Higher Achievement Rate, which puts challenge to school administrators and teachers alike to attain improved performance in classroom instructions and co-curricular activities through the collaborative efforts between and among the stakeholders such as the pupils, parents, teachers and the community.

“Because of Brigada Eskwela, the schools have become more conducive to learning as no school looks bedraggled at the start of the classes," Acopiado said.

Bayanihan is a Filipino trait where villagers help each other in community works. (Franklin Gumapon)