“If we care for our environment, we care for our health.”
This was the powerful message of the Iloilo provincial government’s Nutrition Month celebration, held in partnership with the Municipality of Ajuy.
To mark the occasion, the provincial government conducted a mangrove planting activity at the Pedada Integrated Mangrove Park in Barangay Pedada, Ajuy, today, July 14, 2026.
This year’s celebration highlights the sub-theme, “Nutrisyon at Kalikasam, Ating Pangalagaan.”
The green initiative was spearheaded by Ajuy Mayor Loida Espinosa, Provincial Nutrition Action officer Dr. Wendel Marcelo, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office Chief Atty. Cesar Emmanuelle Buyco, Jr., the members of the Provincial Nutrition Council - Technical Working Group, Ajuy Municipal Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Roy Joshua Gerona, representative from the National Nutrition Council VI, representatives from the Municipal Health Office, and the municipal and barangay officials, among others.
Mayor Espinosa expressed her gratitude to the provincial government for choosing Ajuy as a partner in advancing both health and environmental advocacy.
“To protect our physical health, we must also protect our environment. Thank you to the Province of Iloilo for visiting Pedada and for forging this vital partnership," Mayor Espinosa said.
Serving as the event's resource speaker, PGENRO Chief Atty. Buyco emphasized that safeguarding our environment also means protecting our food sources.
“A healthy environment is the absolute foundation of a healthy and well-nourished population. We cannot separate what is on our plates from the soil, rivers, and oceans it came from,” he said.
Atty. Buyco also stressed that mangroves are vital in preserving our marine ecosystem and in protecting our mainland communities during severe flooding.
”The roots of mangroves weave together with the roots of its neighbors, creating an unbreakable net. That net holds the soil together during storms, purifies the water, and serves as a nursery for the fish and crabs that eventually make their way to our dining table,” Buyco said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Marcelo reinforced the connection between ecological preservation and the province's overarching goal of food security and zero hunger.
"Nutrition is shaped by the environment. We get our food from our natural resources. This Nutrition Month, we want to encourage everyone to patronize our locally available seasonal food. By doing so, we also reduce our carbon footprint," Dr. Marcelo explained.
This year’s Nutrition Month Celebration also featured products from local farmers and fisherfolks of Ajuy and the distribution of vitamins and supplements to children and lactating mothers from the Provincial Health Office.
Dr. Gerona and the representatives from the PNC-TWG also prepared an interactive information campaign centered on Pinggang Pinoy and the 10 Kumainments to promote healthy and balanced eating habits among school children.
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