DA-7 encourages Bohol info
officers to practice ‘ABKD’

By Elvira Bongosia

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) – The Department of Agriculture-Central Visayas (DA7) echoed their advocacy on ‘Be RICEponsible’ and practicing ‘ABKD’ in rice consumption to the members of the Association of United Development Information Officers in Bohol (AUDIO-Bohol) on Nov. 15.

DA7 hosted the general assembly of AUDIO-Bohol as part of the National Rice Awareness Month (NRAM) celebration.

DA7 information officer Cheryl Dela Victoria said that every November is declared as NRAM in accordance with Presidential Proclamation No. 524 signed in 2004.

In addition to this, the celebration is an opportunity for the community to come together, learn, and appreciate the importance of rice in the Filipino culture, nutrition, and achieving food security.

The six-year theme ‘Be RICEponsible’ is a call for the achievement of food sufficiency for every Filipino in their own way.

Dela Victoria urged the information officers of the cities and national government agencies to “Be RICEponsible” to achieve good health, support farmers, and help the country through ‘ABKD’: (A)dlay, mais, atbp. ay ihalo sa kanin; (B)rown rice ay kainin; (K)anin ay huwag sayangin; at (D)apat bigas ng Pilipinas ang bilhin.

“As information officers and as the communication arm of your respective LGUs and offices, please help spread the ‘Be RicePonsible’ messages and become rice goodness’ bearers and food guardians, starting with your own families, office, relatives and friends,” she urged.

She also asked the AUDIO members to spread the “Half cup, full heart” rice social media challenge to encourage more people to consume only the correct serving of rice and avoid wasting rice.

Maidah Virtudazo, a nutritionist-dietician of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) shared the topic ‘Rice and Your Health,’ citing its nutritional contents and the benefits of an unpolished and well-polished rice.

AUDIO-Bohol is an aggrupation of information officers in towns and cities, as well as national government agencies, with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) as secretariat and lead agency.(ECB/PIA7-Bohol)

Be RICEponsible! As part of the NRAM, DA-7 information officer Cheryl Dela Victoria urged the information officers to help spread the ‘Be RICEponsible’ messages during the group’s general assembly on Nov. 15, 2024 in Tagbilaran City. (ECB/PIA7-Bohol)