Laki sa Gatas advocate Precious Lara Quigaman shares her inspiring life story with the parents who attended the Laki Sa Gatas’ Mothers’ Session at San Basilio Elementary School.

Laki sa Gatas, the nutrition education advocacy initiated by Bear Brand Powdered Milk Drink recently went to Sta. Rita, Pampanga to further its thrust of educating more Filipinos about the value of proper nutrition and drinking milk.

Miss International 2005 Precious Lara Quigaman led the whole Laki Sa Gatas team in inspiring and encouraging the students, teachers, and parents of San Basilio Elementary School to practice proper nutrition and go back to the habit of drinking milk.

“Like me, anyone can make his or her dreams come true. Let’s all help our children develop a strong body and mind through good nutrition and milk drinking because iba talaga ang laki sa gatas,” said the Laki Sa Gatas advocate.

San Basilio Elementary School Principal Emily Maninang welcomed the whole team of Laki Sa Gatas.

“On behalf of our students, teachers, and parents, I want to thank Laki Sa Gatas for choosing our school and broadening our knowledge about nutrition and milk drinking. I hope the advocacy will continue to help more schools,” she said.

Sta. Rita Mayor Yolanda Miranda-Pineda; School District Supervisor Victoria Tayao, PhD; Municipal Social Welfare Development Officer Cristeta Bolivar; Nestlé Philippines, Inc.-Regional Sales Manager Mogs Mejico; and Javi Medina, Marketing Promotions and Events Division Manager for Bear Brand were likewise on hand to give their full support to the event.

Laki Sa Gatas goes to different public elementary schools nationwide to inculcate to students the value of proper nutrition and milk drinking. It likewise educates parents and teachers on how they can help their children grow up healthy and be what they want to be.

Empowering moms and teachers

The Laki Sa Gatas Central Luzon Event was packed with fun-filled activities for parents and educators. It held Mothers’ and Teachers’ sessions wherein participants got to meet and speak with a licensed nutritionist about ensuring their kids’ proper nutrition.

Mothers were taught how to prepare balanced meals by incorporating Go, Grow, and Glow foods in meal planning. They shared tips on making healthy and affordable meals everyday and learned how drinking milk can help in supporting their children’s nutrition.

Educators, on the other hand, were trained to make their lecture on nutrition more engaging for schoolchildren. They were likewise trained how to help address malnutrition in the classes that they handle.

In both sessions, the nutritionist also advised parents and teachers to encourage their children to get back to the habit of milk drinking. Milk has essential nutrients like Calcium and Protein that help in kids’ optimal growth. Some milk brands are also fortified with Vitamin C, Iron, and Zinc that help strengthen body resistance so kids would stay healthy and prevent sickness.

Guiding kids through proper nutrition

Laki Sa Gatas believes that teaching kids proper nutrition can encourage them to practice proper nutrition and achieve their dreams. During the Kids’ Session of Laki Sa Gatas, grades two and three pupils were gathered in the school’s covered court to learn more about the importance of eating Go, Grow, and Glow foods and drinking milk. 

The kids were also all treated to fun games and activities together with Kuya Benjie and Bear Brand mascots Mama Bear and Kuya Bear.

The most exciting part of the Kids’ Session was when the students used their “Ambition Glasses” to share what they want to become when they grow up. The schoolchildren drew the profession they want to pursue in the future. Their sketches would be their reminder and inspiration to make their dreams come true. 

Since it was established in 2006, Laki Sa Gatas has visited close to 3,000 public schools across the country and has reached out to almost 1.5 million kids; more than half a million moms; and thousands of teachers as of this writing.