My Letter for P-Noy

Benigno Simeon "NoyNoy" Cojuanco Aquino III
Republic of the Philippines, President

Mr. President,

             Greetings with love and peace!

              Hi, I am Christine Ann Llanes Requilman, the Regional Federation of Supreme Student Government Vice President of Region I from Ilocos Sur National High School.

            

              I wrote a letter not about education but about the issues I hear around me -- The Reproductive Health Bill or the Reproductive Health and Population Management Act of 2008 which was proposed by Representative Edcel C. Lagman of Albay.  

            I believe that this act mainly promotes national policy on reproductive health, responsible parenthood and population development. It is also about disseminating information to the public about natural and modern ways related to family planning. According to statistics, over population is the root of  poverty in our country. So, one way to eradicate it is to promote family planning and reproductive health. This RH Bill is also a gate way to solve some of our problems like maternal health, child mortality, HIV/AIDS and many other Sexually Transmitted Diseases. THis RH bill is not just about the use of contraceptives but it also regards about counseling on sexuality, sexual and reproductive health, prevention and treatment of infertility and RH education not only for adults but also for the youth like me. 

             I believe that RH bill is not anti life, anti baby or anti family. It does not make way for  abortion to be legalized also. But this act is a help for the preparedness of parents for their off-springs and will be a very big help in our nation. Maybe I am still very young to involve myself to this issue but we cannot remove the fact that I grow up. I belong to the generation of people who'll suffer the consequences of today's misdid. If I were to be asked Mr. President, I'll say YES for RH BILL. 

          Mr. President, I hope that this opinion of mine wouldn't just be ignored. I hope that this letter would help you in deciding if you'll say yes or no to The Reproductive Health Bill or the Reproductive Health and Population Management Act of 2008. thank you for the time sir. God bless!

Truly Yours,

Christine Ann Llanes Requilman

Nutrition Month Celebration '11

from: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/267931/july-nutrition-month

The consequences of malnutrition during the most crucial years of a child persist throughout life. Stunting is seldom reversed in later childhood and adolescence, and malnutrition can impact not only on the individual but also on the country as a whole.

Pursuant to Presidential Proclamation No. 491 issued in 1974, the Philippines celebrates July as Nutrition Month. With the theme “Sa pagkaing tama at sapat, wastong timbang ni Baby ang katapat” (Proper and sufficient food to ensure Baby’s proper weight), the celebration will focus on the importance of complementary feeding as a strategy to prevent under-nutrition among young children.

Complementary feeding is giving other foods and liquids to infants when they reach 6 months while continuing breastfeeding, as additional foods and liquids are not meant to replace breast milk and are not sufficient on their own. Data from the Seventh National Nutrition Survey conducted in 2008 reveal that malnutrition levels are three to four times higher among children who are at least eight months old due to insufficient quantity and inadequate quality of complementary foods, poor child-feeding practices, and high rates of infection. Complementary feeding is deemed as one of the effective means to address undernourishment among children.

Apart from complementary feeding, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) offers other appropriate feeding practices for children six to 24 months, including frequent on-demand feeding, night feeding for infants, increasing food quantity and feeding frequency as the child ages, while maintaining breastfeeding; feeding infants directly and assisting older children when they feed themselves; frequent and responsive feeding especially during and after illness; and good hygiene and proper food handling to prevent food-borne diseases.

Among the suggested activities that can be undertaken by concerned individuals and groups are: Making available nutritionally adequate and low-cost infant supplementary mixes to economically disadvantaged families; organizing training for health workers in implementing policies and guidelines on infant and child feeding; establishing infant feeding and care support groups where mothers can be referred to; and adopting a nutritionally depressed barangay for the implementation of nutrition and related projects and activities.

Such initiatives will help in ensuring the health of today’s children in whose hands the future of our country lies.

from: http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/267931/july-nutrition-month