BY MARY JOY CAVAÑAS
ILOILO City – A total of 59 children were chosen as beneficiaries of the Mingo Nutrition Program in this city.
These children came from barangays Calumpang and San Juan in Molo district and barangays Navais and Calahunan in Mandurriao district.
The year-long nutrition program had its ceremonial kickoff on Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the Jaro gymnasium in Jaro district and was led by former Senate President Franklin Drilon and Negros Volunteer for Change (NVC) Foundation president Millie Kilayko.
Mingo meals are nutritious instant complementary food made ofrice, mongo (mung beans) and malunggay (moringa). Manufactured by NVC, each 20-gram sachet is about 80 calories and provides protein, fat, vitamins A, C, B1, B6, potassium, iron, calcium, and zinc. It’s mixed with water to make a porridge, soup, or drink.
The nutrition program was made possible through the initiative of Drilon, Don Alfonso Tan and NVC, in cooperation with the Iloilo City Government.
“I have volunteered to join this program to raise funds for Iloilo City and Iloilo province. This is how we want to showcase that we can address malnutrition in Iloilo,” said Drilon.
He then urged parents of the beneficiaries to follow the feeding program to ensure their children’s good health.
“Kamo nga mga nanay, sundon niyo ang programa kay ini indi para sa inyo kundi para sa inyo kabataan. Kung indi niyo ni pagsundon, kaluluoy gid kamo,” Drilon added.
Aside from this city, other beneficiaries of mingo meals are from Leon, Carles, Leganes, Lemery, Pavia, Badiangan, and Janiuay towns.
According to Kilayko, Iloilo province is among the provinces in Western Visayas with high malnutrition rate.
“There are several provinces nga taas ang rate of malnutrition, particularly Iloilo. Since our homebase is Region 6, we are now concentrating in helping the region,” Kilayko added./PN
