by Rachelle Nessia

Dumaguete City (10 July) -- The nutritional status of Negros Oriental has seen a marked improvement after the province's malnutrition rate dipped by 7.6% since 2004.

Dr. Bernarda Cortes disclosed in the recent Kapihan forum conducted by the Philippine Information Agency that the province's malnutrition rate this year is pegged at 11.3%

The province's malnutrition rate last year was 14.1% and in 2004, 18.9%.

Cortes, the former Assistant Provincial Health Officer here, now sits as consultant of the nutrition program of the Provincial Health Office.

Among the towns and cities in the province, Mabinay I area holds the highest malnutrition rate this year at 22.2%, followed by La Libertad with 20.9% and Vallehermoso with 19.6%.

Jimalalud town at 3.3% has the lowest malnutrition rate here in Negros Oriental.

Records from the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO) also show that Dumaguete City's malnutrition rate is registered at 8.3% in 2006.

Brgy. Cadawinon has the highest malnutrition rate among the barangays in Dumaguete City with 19.6%, followed by Camanjac with 18.10% and Tabuc-tubig with 14.10%, according to City Health Officer Dr. Ava Vios in the same forum.

Bantayan has the lowest malnutrition rate with 0.40%.

Cortez attributes the significant improvement in the province's nutritional status to various nutrition programs being conducted here such as the Gulayan at Palaisdaan Alay sa Kabataan (GPAK).

A total of 781 public schools throughout the province are participating in the GPAK program, explains Alvin Blaza, Chief of the Crops Division at the Provincial Agriculturist Office (PAO).

He disclosed that Governor George P. Arnaiza is set to allocate P1 million for the purchase of assorted vegetable seeds for GPAK.

Another program geared towards vegetable production is the Barangay Agricultural Development center (BADC) program of which around 100 centers can now be found in Negros Oriental.

Under BADC, vegetable seeds are distributed to communities within the center areas.

Blaza stressed that programs aimed at food security such as GPAK and BADC are necessary since the province's rice production is not enough to meet the food requirements of Negros Oriental.

"If we rely solely on the province's rice production, it is not enough for the consumption needs of the province," says Blaza.

He said that Negros Oriental only has around 12,000 hectares of rice areas. For the province to become self-sufficient in its rice production, it needs to have at least 17,000 hectares.

But the crops division chief quickly assures that the province is able to cope up with its food requirements due to the importation of rice from the other provinces.