Tacloban City (October 24) -- Maasin City in Southern Leyte was among the 29 local government units cited by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for their success in providing quality nutrition to their counstituents.

Maasin City was conferred the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) awards for showing outstanding performance in reducing malnutrition levels and in managing the local nutrition programs for three consecutive years.

When reached by PIA, Maasin City Mayor Damian Mercado expressed elation for the recognition which is a big boost to the new City and its populace. He said that the local government under his administration has always been supportive of the interagency nutrition programs recognizing the importance of good nutrition in the health of the City and its future leaders.

Mayor Mercado revealed that in order to stress the importance of nutrition programs, the city government increased the incentives of the nutrition volunteer workers and has always been supportive of the agriculture projects that will redound to the availability of nutritious food in every table in the City.

Having been awarded the CROWN this year, will make Maasin City qualified to the CROWN Maintenance Award next year and later on to the Nutrition Honor Award which is the highest award conferred by the NNC which is given to CROWN maintenance awardees that have maintained exemplary performance in nutrition program management and malnutrition reduction for three consecutive years.

Maasin City, aside from receiving the plaque from the President also received P100.000.

The National Nutrition Council awarding ceremony was held recently at the Philippine Army Officers' Clubhouse in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. An annual tradition of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), which is an attached agency of the Department of Health (DOH), the awarding ceremony recognizes LGUs and nutrition workers with exemplary performance in planning, implementation and management of local nutrition programs.

Aside from Maasin City, the 28 LGUs chosen nationwide were conferred the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) awards for showing outstanding performance in reducing malnutrition levels and in managing their respective local nutrition programs for three consecutive years were five provinces (Cagayan, Quezon, Marinduque, Zamboanga Sibugay and Compostela Valley), two other cities (Talisay and Mandaue ) and four municipalities (Sudipen, La Union; Boac, Marinduque; Buug, Zamboanga Sibugay; and Nabunturan, Compostela Valley.

The CROWN Maintenance Award was awarded to former CROWN awardees that have maintained exemplary performance in nutrition program management and malnutrition reduction in the immediate past one year or two years. Awardees in this category were: the provinces of Ifugao and Bulacan; the cities of Calamba, Dipolog, Ozamiz, Bislig and Panabo; and the municipalities of Aritao, Nueva Vizcaya; Uson, Masbate; Libona, Bukidnon; Pulilan, Bulacan; and Inabanga, Bohol.