215 graduate in Nutrition School on the Air

THE NATIONAL Nutrition Council awarded certificates of completion to the first batch of graduates of the Nutrition School On the Air (NSOA) program at Hotel Supreme.

Belen Caday-as of Lubo, Kibungan Benguet was the class valedictorian with a score of 55 over 60.

A collaborative effort with media partners composing the Cordillera Administrative Region - Media Educators on Nutrition (CAR-MENU), NSOA was implemented in partnership with the Mountain Province Broadcasting Corporation’s DZWT 540 – Radyo Totoo.

The NSOA program was participated by 215 individuals from Baguio City, Benguet, Mountain Province, Ifugao and La Union. They registered in May and completed and passed the minimum score required after 12 sessions (once a week broadcast lesson) from May 4 to July 20 with the quizzes answer sent through SMS (short messaging service).

The youngest participant is nine- year old Ashmere Pongdad of Bahong, La Trinidad, Benguet while the oldest, Lolita Borja, 71, is from Aurora Hill, Baguio City.

“The aim of the NSOA is to promote nutrition in places that we barely reach especially the rural areas to give them knowledge and educate them on how they can be more healthy,” Program adviser and DZWT radio anchor Rose Malekchan said.

“We monitored their answers through text line. After the learning session, I will be reading questions and they will be sending me their answers through text messages, and we have records to check and supervise their scores” added Malekchan.

NNC Cordillera Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Rita Papey encouraged the NSOA graduates to apply what they have learned in their daily

life and to share to others.

“We hope they can use what they have learned from NSOA and impart also the knowledge to others to ensure a well - nourished and healthy communities,” Papey said. Carlito Dar/PIACAR