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| The local government of Muntinlupa, led by Mayor Ruffy Biazon, receives its awards at the Regional Nutrition Awards Ceremony 2026 of the National Nutrition Council-National Capital Region (NNC-NCR) held on September 14, 2026, at the Novotel Araneta, Cubao in Quezon City (Photo by John Lester Naguna/ PIA-NCR) |
A healthy community is not built by a single feeding program, one health consultation, or one successful campaign. It is built through programs that continue working long after the banners are taken down and the awards have been received.
For the people of Muntinlupa, that continuing work is now reflected in a string of regional recognitions for the city's nutrition program.
During this year's Regional Nutrition Awards Ceremony 2026 of the National Nutrition Council-National Capital Region (NNC-NCR), the city local government unit (LGU) of Muntinlupa was named a Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) Contender, bringing the city closer to what the NNC considers its highest recognition for local governments with sustained excellence in nutrition program management.
The recognition did not happen overnight.
It follows two consecutive years of CROWN Maintenance Award recognition, placing Muntinlupa among LGUs qualified to move forward in the NHA recognition process.
But beyond the trophies, what do these recognitions mean for an ordinary Muntinlupeño?
They point to a city where nutrition is being treated not simply as a health concern, but as a responsibility shared across programs, communities, workers and local institutions.
Muntinlupa was also recognized as Best LGU in Nutrition in Emergencies Program, an acknowledgment of the city's attention to nutrition even when communities face disruptions brought by disasters and other emergencies.
It was likewise named Best LGU in the First 1,000 Days Program, highlighting the city's focus on the critical period from pregnancy through a child's first two years—a stage considered particularly important in laying the foundation for healthy growth and development.
For families, this means that nutrition interventions are not limited to responding when a problem has already emerged. Attention is also given to mothers and young children during a period when proper nutrition can have lasting effects.
The city further received awards as Best LGU in Nutrition Sensitive Program, Best LGU in Compliance and Dissemination of National Laws and Issuances on Nutrition, and Best LGU in Documentation.
Taken together, the recognitions paint a picture of a nutrition program that goes beyond individual projects—one that works across sectors, follows national nutrition policies, documents its interventions, and continues to operate even in challenging circumstances.
The work is also being carried out by people on the ground.
Among those recognized during the regional awards were Dr. Magdalena C. Meana, City Nutrition Program Coordinator (CNPC) Leah Faith M. Macabulos, and Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) Angel Anne S. Ambas, reflecting the contribution of nutrition leaders and frontline workers in keeping programs connected to communities.
For Mayor Ruffy Biazon, the latest recognition is both an achievement and a challenge to aim higher.
“I-sustain lang ang momentum at sungkitin na natin ang NHA. At ito na nga, malapit na malapit na tayo,” Biazon said.
(Just sustain the momentum and let's grab the NHA. And here we are, we're so close.)
He thanked the Muntinlupa City Nutrition Committee, health and nutrition workers, and community partners for their collective contribution to the city's continuing nutrition efforts.
The significance of the city's latest awards may ultimately be measured not by the number of trophies displayed at City Hall, but by whether families can continue to access nutrition services, whether mothers and children receive support at critical stages of life, and whether communities are prepared to protect nutrition even during emergencies.
That is the work behind the awards—and, for Muntinlupa, the work continues. (AVS /PIA-NCR)
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