The Local Government Unit (LGU) of Bayambang together with the Department of Agriculture – National Meat Inspection Service Regional Technical Operation Center 1 (DA-NMIS RTOC 1) conducted a training dubbed “Good Handling Practices in the Home for Women” at Royal Mall last October 25.

The activity is in line with the DA-NMIS’s celebration of Meat Safety Consciousness Week.
The event was attended by some 90 participants from 77 barangays who are all members of Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BSN), Barangay Health Workers (BHW) and Barangay Sanitary Inspectors (BSI), local organizations engaged in promoting health and wellness at the barangay level.
Municipal Administrator Atty. Rodelynn Rajini Sagarino explained that they specifically targeted women as their audience because they are the ones mostly in charge of household chores particularly food preparation.

“This will be a good venue for us (women) to be trained in how to tell fresh meat from botcha meat. Prevention will be the key factor in helping our LGU in eliminating food-related diseases,” she added.

Further, Sagarino said this activity was aimed at protecting the consuming public from acquiring food-borne illnesses or food poisoning by providing the participants basic information on hygienic practices in the preparation of meat from point of sale up to transport to respective households. They can then cascade the information to fellow mothers and food preparers in their respective barangays.
With this development, Acting Director II of NMIS RTOC 1, Dr. Eduardo Oblena thanked the local chief executive not only for hosting the event but also for his overwhelming support to the program. Oblena assured the participants that this training will give them the knowledge needed in dealing with food safety issues. (Bayambang PIO/Media Affairs)