The Davao City Health Office (CHO) is intensifying its campaign to combat malnutrition, calling on families to cultivate their own fresh produce and prepare balanced meals to ensure that they consume only healthy and nutritious food.
Elizabeth Banzon, Head of the Nutrition Division of CHO told the City information Office (CIO), that combatting malnutrition requires active household participation urging them to master the Pinggang Pinoy principles by structuring every meal into four portions containing carbohydrates, proteins, vegetables, and fruits.
“Kailangan mamili ta og balance nga pagkaon, nutritious foods, with variety sya. Atong ipattern na siya sa pinggang pinoy principles nga sa isa ka plato, ihati nato ika upat, naa tay kanon, sudan, gulay, naay prutas nga kompleto ang meal (We need to choose balanced and nutritious food with variety. Let us pattern that after the Pinggang Pinoy principle where we divide one plate into four parts, we have rice, viand, vegetables, and fruit so the meal is complete),” she said.
Banzon stressed that proper nutrition must also be paired with rigorous hygiene, meal planning and efficient food storage to eliminate food waste and prevent preventable illnesses.
“Hangyo pod mi sa mga community nga kung mahimo nga planohon gyud ang meal, ang pagkaon. Ang pag prepara kinahanglan hugasan nato sila og tarong, dapat naay hygiene. Ang mga gulay, hugasan og tarong para iwas pod ta sa mga sakit. At the same time, atung planohon ang pagkaon sa pamilya aron wala gani ma sayang. Niya isave nato og tarong ang pagkaon sa ref para walay madaot (We also appeal to the communities that, if possible, plan your meals. During preparation, we need to wash them properly, there must be hygiene. Wash the vegetables thoroughly so we can prevent illnesses. At the same time, let us plan the family’s meals so nothing goes to waste. Then, store the food properly in the refrigerator so it won’t spoil),” she added.
She added that they are encouraging more schools and families to cultivate their own fresh produce which will not only lower household food costs but also guarantee that children will only have nutritious meals.
On July 29, 2026, during the culmination activity, the CHO honored local barangays for their exceptional dedication to delivering localized nutrition interventions, with Barangay Baguio Proper receiving the Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar.
Meanwhile, in the Search for Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Program Implementor, Barangay 19-B earned First Place, followed by Barangay Alambre in Second Place and Barangay Langub in Third Place.
Joselito A. Cajes, Barangay Captain of Baguio Proper, emphasized that the true value of the award lies in inspiring local councils and parents to uphold high health standards and remain committed to providing nutritious food for their children.
“Lipay kaayo mi kay na acknowledge amoang effort sa amoang barangay sa pag pa dagan, pag pa lambo sa atoang nutrition. Hinaot pa nga pakusgan pa sa amoang council ang pag pa dagan ani nga programa. Sa atoang mga ginikanan, dili nato kalimtan ang paghatag gyud ang masustansiya na pagkaon ngadto sa atoang mga kabataan (We are very happy that our barangay’s efforts in running and improving our nutrition programs have been acknowledged. We hope that our council will further strengthen the implementation of this initiative. To our parents, let us never forget to always provide nutritious food to our children),” he said. CIO
Written by: N. Malasado
Edited by: A. Nawal