The Ajinomoto Philippines Corporation (APC) Group and the Municipality of Cainta held a hybrid ceremonial contract signing event last December 3, 2021 to mark their commitment to strengthen the Mag-Pinggang Pinoy® Tayo! (MPPT) program in a bid to address malnutrition in the country. The event was held in Banquet Hall East, Filinvest East, Cainta and broadcasted in a virtual meeting.

MPPT, a program launched by APC Group in 2018, aims to promote the practice of Pinggang Pinoy®, an easy-to-understand healthy food plate guide for Filipinos developed by the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

“This program embodies our Nutrition Commitment towards extending the healthy life expectancy of Filipinos. We also recognize the importance of our collaboration with the local government unit of Cainta. Together, we will create an ecosystem that would make the MPPT program effective and sustainable,” said APC Group President Tsutomu Nara during the event.

The Ajinomoto Group’s Nutrition Commitment is to help extend the healthy life expectancy of 1 billion people by 2030 utilizing its expertise in Amino Science. This allows the company to support delicious salt reduction using umami, provide products to contribute to people's wellness and provide health and nutrition improvement information as well as easy recipes/menus.

Joining APC President Nara in representing the company is Mr. Hironori Aoki, Director, Marketing, Sales and Public Relations. Meanwhile, the Municipality of Cainta was represented by Hon. Mayor Johnielle Keith “Kit” Nieto and its Municipal Health Officer Dr. Edgardo Gonzaga. Also in attendance were representatives of MPPT partners and supporters: UPLB-MPPT Project Team led by Dr. Angelina DR. Felix of the Institute of Human Nutrition and Food- College of Human Ecology, UPLB; Dr. Pauline Jean Rossel-Ubial, former Secretary of Health; and Ms. Sarah Coe, Redscope Communications CEO.

“Thank you Ajinomoto for this opportunity, for having decided to give back, and for your willingness and your generosity in providing us everything we need. There is actually a lot more to do for us just to make sure that the people are always healthy.” said Hon. Mayor Johnielle Keith “Kit” Nieto in his address to the company and all the people that make MPPT possible.

The APC Group, Cainta, and its MPPT advocates are determined to combat malnutrition especially amid the ongoing pandemic where food systems have been disrupted and have continued to affect vulnerable groups like children. In line with this, the drafted MPPT program in Cainta consists of the following: (1) online capacity building of community health workers, (2) online nutrition education of homemakers, and (3) one-meal dietary supplementation among identified undernourished children for 120 days.

“This is truly one of the most important projects of the APC Group,” said Hironori Aoki, APC Group Director of Marketing, Sales and Public Relations. “Ajinomoto is not only a food company but a solution providing company guided by the Ajinomoto Group Creating Shared Value (ASV) with a mission to help resolve emerging social issues such as malnutrition through thoughtful initiatives.”

For more information about the MPPT program, visit ajinomoto.com.ph today.

Proper diet and nutrition are crucial in young children’s formative years. These foster proper development for children, leading to good health, intelligence, and behavior, thus giving them better chances in succeeding later in life.

 In photo (L-R): Department of Education Usec. Diosdado M. San Antonio and Former DepEd Regional Director and K to 12 Curriculum Consultant Dr. Paraluman Giron paved the way for the partnership with Papa Catsup.

In light of this, NutriAsia and Papa forged a partnership with both Marylindbert International and the Department of Education (DepEd) for school year 2020-2021, the Pinggang Pinoy Pina-Sweet Sarap Comprehensive School Program. It is a special module that teaches the importance of having the right diet and nutrition. Powered by Papa Banana Catsup and Papa Spaghetti Pack, the program aims to educate Grade 1 and 2 Filipino students about how keeping a good diet with the right nutrition leads to proper and healthy development.

“With the Pinggang Pinoy Pina-Sweet Sarap Comprehensive School Program, we have a whole plan ready for teaching young Filipinos how to keep a proper diet and take in the nutrients they need,” said NutriAsia President and COO Angie Flaminiano. “We hope to be a part of their good growth and development and, in turn, the Philippines’ growth as well.” The Pinggang Pinoy program will be launched in 30 participating schools across the country, namely in Regions I, X, XI, and the Cordillera Administrative Region.

 School children from Regions I, X, XI, and the Cordillera Administrative Region received DepEd workbooks and Papa products for a truly unique learning experience!

The class module is the first in the three-stage Pinggang Pinoy program. The second stage will involve cooking demonstrations and activities that will show students and parents how to prepare healthy snacks using Papa products. The final stage will involve a cooking contest that will challenge students, teachers and parents to create unique recipes using Papa Banana Catsup and Papa Spaghetti Pack.

Papa’s advocacy of helping educate Filipinos in the classroom and beyond has also led them to produce edutainment Facebook videos for NutriAsia’s HomeSchool Program. These videos can be viewed at https://nutriasia.com/homeschool/

For more information and updates on Pinggang Pinoy and NutriAsia’s other initiatives, visit the official website at www.nutriasia.com, and follow NutriAsia on Facebook.

Cases of malnutrition in the country are increasing at an alarming rate. Undernutrition is not the only issue now, but pediatric overweight and obesity as well. Malnutrition may happen from pregnancy, infancy to toddlerhood.

Parents and soon-to-be-parents must know that good nutrition in the early stages of life will ultimately cause a positive effect in a child’s future. Therefore, preparing healthy meals and snacks is the key to a healthy body.

Pregnant mothers must only eat nutritious food as their babies rely on them for nourishment. To bear a healthy child, mothers must have a healthy diet, coupled with vitamins and the right amount of sleep. A baby’s development is entirely dependent on the mother before its birth.

When a baby is born, it is important to feed him with the mother’s milk. Breastfeeding is advised from infancy to toddlerhood. Breast milk and other healthy food are essential for the development of the child’s brain. Healthy eating, however, does not stop from there, so parents should prepare a healthy packed lunch for kids when they go to school.

In this light, the Nutrition Management Services and the Center for Developmental Pediatrics, both of The Medical City, aim to raise awareness by launching a poster making contest. Dubbed “TMC for kids: Healthy Eating Plate – A poster making contest on good nutrition,” the contest is open to middle school Grade 5 students). This contest is also in line with the Department of Health’s “Pinggang Pinoy” campaign.

Each school will submit five posters that show the students’ interpretation of a healthy plate based on DoH’s campaign or healthy plate campaign of the US. Participating schools include St. Paul College-Pasig, Lourdes School of Mandaluyong, La Salle Green Hills, and Immaculate Concepcion Academy.

Aside from the poster making contest, there will be a mini-lecture on topics such as proper nutrition, food options and picky eating. The lecture will be held during the school’s Parent-Teacher Assembly. Parents, school administrators and school canteen operators are encouraged to join the lecture.

The entries will be displayed at the lobby of The Medical City for at least two weeks, and will also be uploaded on the hospital’s Facebook page and website.

The top three winners will be announced on July 27 during the Lay Forum session on healthy eating during the celebration of Nutrition Week at The Medical City. All participants with parents or guardians and a school representative will be present during the event.

Winners will receive plaques, gift certificates and gift bags, while a special prize will be given to the entry with most likes on The Medical City’s Facebook page. The winning designs will be used by The Medical City for internal posters and educational materials.

The Medical City (TMC) is a world-class hospital healthcare organization with 48 years of experience in hospital operation and administration. With its main facility located along Ortigas Avenue, TMC boasts of experienced and esteemed medical experts of various fields with modern facilities that offer the highest standard of healthcare quality as accredited by the Joint Commission International, a prestigious accrediting body for international healthcare organizations.