Here's another feather on the cap for Zamboanga City.

Zamboanga City was adjudged anew as the outstanding city in the 2009 implementation of the local level plan of action for nutrition, a feat which entitles Asia's Latin City to be an entry in the National Nutrition Council's "Green Banner Award".

Zamboanga City received the prestigious "Green Banner Award" in 1996.

City Health Officer Dr. Rodelin Agbulos, whose office is handling the Nutrition program for the second year now, said the recognition was in line with the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Plan Implementation (MELLPI) for nutrition initiated by the Regional Nutrition Committee and presented during the committee's third quarter meeting last November 15.

The MELLPI is a management tool used in assessing efficiency and effectiveness of program for nutrition improvement.

Based on the evaluation, Zamboanga City got a final score of 91.87% followed by Dipolog City with a score of 88.20 percent and third Dapitan City with a grade of 84.92 percent.

In the provincial level, Zamboanga Sibugay topped the evaluation while Polanco, Zamboanga del Norte obtained the highest score among the municipalities in the region.

The Regional Nutrition Committee had deputized the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team composed of interagency members to evaluate the 2009 nutrition plan implementation of the 3 provinces and 5 cities in the region using the standard tool provided by the National Nutrition Council. The evaluation results had been reviewed and found to have strictly abided by the guidelines set.

Zamboanga City represented by Dr. Agbulos gets a plaque of recognition and is recommended to he National Nutrition Council as Green Banner Awardee.

Green Banners and other awards will be presented on Dec. 1 during the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.

Meanwhile, barangay nutrition scholar Teresita Policarpio of Tetuan, was also adjudged as one of the seven 2009 Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars (OBNS) in the region, according to Dr. Agbulos.

The recognition is based on the evaluation of the performance of the BNS in the region. It is one of he yearly activities included in the MELLPI.

The Nutrition program of the city was originally part of the functions of the City Social Welfare and Development Office under Francisco Barredo. It was transferred to the CHO since two years ago based on a new law.