Coke launches Nutri-Juice drive in Lucy's district

ORMOC CITY, Philippines – Coca-Cola Philippines, in cooperation of Leyte fourth district Rep. Lucy Torres-Gomez, recently launched its Nutri-Juice Program which will run for six months and benefit 5,000 Grade 1 pupils in 40 pre-selected schools in the district.

Torres-Gomez was accompanied by Coca-Cola director for public affairs Juan Bayani Baylon during the ceremonial launch held at this city’s biggest public school, the Ormoc City Central School.

Also with them were Richard Gomez, the congresswoman’s husband and chief of staff, and members of the Coke Tigers basketball team headed by Rodney Santos.

Baylon told parents and teachers present at the launch that the fourth district was not among those originally planned to benefit from the program, but when he met Torres-Gomez and saw her sincerity in helping people in her district, they agreed to help each other.

“Paano tayo tatanggi kay (How can we refuse) Congresswoman Lucy? Now we are honored by this partnership,” he said.

Under the program, 5,000 Grade 1 pupils in 40 pre-selected schools in the district will get a daily pack of Nutri-Juice for the next six months.

The juice, fortified with vitamins A and C, iron, zinc and lysine, is aimed at reducing iron-deficiency anemia among the students.

This product was developed in partnership with the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology.

For her part, Torres-Gomez said she was only too happy to partner with Coke in the venture. “Health and education are my primary concerns,” she said.

Torres-Gomez and Baylon led the distribution of the Nutri-Juice packs to 549 Grade 1 students at the Ormoc City Central School, assisted by the Coke Tigers basketball team, which will hold basketball clinics in Ormoc City in the future.