IN response to the growing burden of preventable diseases linked to poor diet, health authorities, advocacy groups, and local families gathered at the Quezon Memorial Circle on July 25–26 to rally for sustainable food systems and stronger nutrition policies.
The two-day initiative kicked off with the unveil of a collaborative community mural created by officials from the National Nutrition Council (NNC), the Department of Health (DOH), and the Quezon City Government, alongside parents, children, and health advocates.
The artwork serves as a public symbol advocating for healthier environments to protect families from noncommunicable diseases.
Painting a Shared Vision
Health Undersecretary Dr. Albert Domingo, newly appointed Executive Director of the NNC, highlighted the collaborative nature of the advocacy during the mural presentation.
“May genie’s lamp dahil kailangang kaskasin nang kaunti para lumabas ang ating pinapangarap [na healthy food environment],” Domingo noted, describing the process of unveiling a shared goal. “Ang mga dahon sa mga sanga ng puno ay kamay ng iba’t ibang tao na siyang magbibigay ng buhay sa ating adbokasiya.”
Domingo underscored that the participation of ordinary citizens outside program organizers reflects the broad community support needed to sustain long-term public health goals.
Community Market and Practical Tools
The second day featured a healthy market fair, connecting local producers directly with consumers. Supported by the Quezon City Government and the Department of Agriculture – Agribusiness, Marketing, and Consumer Affairs (DA-AMAS), farmer-cooperatives offered fresh produce.
To encourage home cultivation, the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) distributed free seeds and seedlings to attendees.
Beyond fresh food access, the event provided free health services and educational hubs:
- Health Screenings: Free blood pressure checks provided by the Philippine Society of Hypertension.
- Interactive Nutrition Tools: Public access to the Pagkain Check Nutrition Calculator to help consumers identify packaged foods high in sugar, sodium, or unhealthy fats.
- Sodium Awareness Exhibit: An exhibit led by public interest law group ImagineLaw detailing the hidden sodium content in popular Filipino food items.
Calls for Stronger Policy Protections
Advocates emphasized that individual choices must be supported by systemic policy reform. Atty. Mikhail Laurence Millan of ImagineLaw called for mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, restrictions on aggressive food marketing directed at children, and product reformulation for high-sodium items.
“Nutrition ang first defense natin laban sa mga sakit,” Millan stated. “Para maprotektahan ang mga pamilya, kailangan natin ng isang healthy food environment.”
Quezon City Chief Nutritionist Jirah Sideco reaffirmed the city’s commitment to embedding health standards into local policy, calling on other local government units (LGUs) to take similar steps.
“Local governments have the power to transform our communities,” Sideco said. “Ang lungsod ang pinakamalapit sa tao, and our policies help shape what people see, what they choose, and they help people realize kung ano ba talaga ang isang healthy food environment.”
