Ozamiz Takes Its Place in the Parade
OZAMIZ CITY - The colorful Parade of Delegates gave Ozamiz City and other Northern Mindanao communities a chance to bring their local identity into a regional nutrition gathering. More than 2,000 participants from five provinces and nine cities were described in the event materials as taking part, with delegations presenting their banners during the conference at the Kaamulan venue in Malaybalay City. The participating cities included Ozamiz, Oroquieta, Tangub, Iligan, Cagayan de Oro, El Salvador, Gingoog, Malaybalay, and Valencia. Rather than being simply a ceremonial opening, the parade offered a visual reminder that nutrition work is carried out across many communities, with each delegation bringing its own people and experiences into the regional gathering.
The People Behind Barangay Nutrition Work
The conference theme, “Serbisyo, Pagkakaisa at Dedikasyon: Empowering the Modern Barangay Nutrition Scholars,” puts the spotlight on the people who work close to families and communities. The National Nutrition Council identifies the Barangay Nutrition Scholars Federation as one of the regional associations involved in Northern Mindanao's nutrition coordination structure, alongside nutrition action officers and district, city, and municipal nutrition program coordinators. Their work matters because nutrition programs depend not only on policies but also on people who can help connect communities with services and monitor nutrition concerns at the local level. For Ozamiz delegates, the conference created space to learn from counterparts facing similar challenges in different barangays.
From Three Days of Gathering to Everyday Service
A regional conference may last only a few days, but its practical value lies in what participants can bring home afterward. Earlier PIA reporting on Northern Mindanao's BNS conferences described continuous learning, skills improvement, community service, and camaraderie as important reasons for bringing nutrition scholars together. The 2026 gathering carries that same broader purpose under a theme that emphasizes service and dedication while responding to the changing role of the modern BNS. For Ozamiz, participation places its nutrition workers within a region-wide exchange where ideas and experiences can travel back to barangays, potentially strengthening the day-to-day work of promoting better nutrition among families and children.
