TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, Philippines — Legislators from the Eastern Visayas region have bonded together for the passage in Congress of the Magna Carta of Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS), as proposed in a bill institutionalizing the BNS, seen as frontrunners in addressing the malnutrition problem in the country.

Carina Santiago, National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 8 director, revealed that during a consultative meeting with Region 8 congressmen, the latter pledge to co-author the proposed bill for the BNS which was introduced in the Lower House by Southern Leyte Lone District Congressman Roger G. Mercado.

Those who expressed commitment to support said measure were Leyte 1st District Rep. Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, Leyte 2nd District Rep. Sergio F. Apostol, Leyte 3rd District Rep. Andres D. Salvacion Jr.; Leyte 4th District Rep. Lucy T. Gomez; Leyte 5th District Rep. Jose Carlos L. Cari; Southern Leyte Rep. Roger G. Mercado; Biliran Rep. Rogelio J. Espina; Eastern Samar Rep. Ben P. Evardone; Northern Samar 1st District Rep. Raul A. Daza; Northern Samar 2nd District Rep. Emil L. Ong; Samar 1st District Rep. Mel Senen S. Sarmiento; Samar 2nd District Rep. Milagrosa T. Tan; and Waray Partylist Representatives Florencio G. Noel and Neil Benedict A. Montejo.

To recall, a draft BNS Magna Carta had earlier been turned over to Rep. Roger Mercado last July 28, 2011, in front over 4,000 BNSs during the first regional Eastern Visayas BNS Congress, a of major activity of the Nutrition Month celebration.

Once enacted into law, the proposed legislation, which is drafted by Regional Nutrition Committee chair and Department of Health Regional Director Edgardo M. Gonzaga, will not only benefit BNSs in Eastern Visayas, but all BNSs nationwide.