How Cerelac Made Nutrition Education Fun at Tambalang BIG Sustansya sa Barangay

What if the most useful parenting lesson of the year didn’t happen in a clinic or a webinar, but in a barangay basketball court, with music, laughter, and a game of bingo?

That was the bet Cerelac made with its Tambalang BIG Sustansya sa Barangay caravan to bring science-backed nutrition education out of brochures and into real neighborhoods, where Filipino parents actually make feeding decisions every day.

A Road Trip for Baby Nutrition
Last August and early September, Cerelac’s nutrition caravan rolled through four barangays: Brgy. Socorro in Cubao, Brgy. Longos in Malabon, Brgy. Salawag in Dasmariñas, Cavite, and Brgy. Macabalan in Cagayan de Oro. Nearly 500 families showed up for a morning of interactive activities, games, and conversations focused on one thing: how to give their babies BIG Sustansya during the critical first 2,000 days of life.

The caravan was a deliberate move to close the gap between what experts know about complementary feeding and what parents experience at home: confusion, conflicting advice, and the pressure to make every meal “perfect.”

From Commitment to Community Action
“For 160 years, we have remained committed to the belief that every child deserves the right nutrition to help them grow and thrive,” said Sophia Samoy, Nestlé Brand Manager for Baby Food, who opened each event. “Bahagi ng commitment na ito ang patuloy naming pagpapabuti ng aming mga produkto at pagbibigay ng science-based nutrition information sa mga magulang, to better support the nutritional needs of Filipino babies.”

Instead of a traditional seminar format, Cerelac designed each stop like a mini-festival: educational games, hands-on experiences, and a community Q&A where parents could ask the questions they’re often too shy to raise in a clinic.

The core message was simple but powerful. Parents don’t have to choose between homemade food and fortified infant cereal. The two can work together as Tambalang Cerelac + Homemade to deliver more complete nutrition.

When Celebrity Met Real-Life Feeding Struggles
In Cavite, the caravan drew its biggest crowd, 150 families, and was joined by Megan Young, Miss World 2013 and a new mom. Her presence could have easily turned the event into a photo op. Instead, she used her platform to normalize the everyday dilemmas parents face.

“Hindi naman ibig sabihin na kailangan nating gawing complicated ang bawat meal,” Young shared. “We can start with the food we already prepare at home, learn more about what our babies need, and find ways to give them more BIG Sustansya with a tested and proven product like CERELAC.”

Nutrition Lessons Disguised as Games
The highlight in every barangay was “Tambalang Bingo” with Dr. Katrina Florcruz-Dacanay, a fellow of the Philippine Pediatric Society and consultant at Diliman Doctors Hospital, Capitol Medical Center, and The Medical City. As parents marked off squares, they were actually learning about key nutrients that support their babies’ growth and development: iron, zinc, vitamins, and energy needs during complementary feeding.

After the game, Dr. Florcruz-Dacanay broke down the science in plain language: infant cereals like Cerelac are not meant to replace home-cooked meals, but to complement them, especially when babies’ nutrient needs outgrow what typical family food can provide on its own.

“Hindi kailangan mamili ng mga magulang kung homemade lang ba o fortified infant cereal ang ibibigay nila, kasi parehas lang sila ng purpose na mabigyan ng tamang sustansya ang mga bulilit,” she explained. “Mahalagang bahagi ng diet ni baby ang homemade food. Ang fortified infant cereals naman ay nakakatulong magbigay ng energy at mahahalagang nutrients na sakto sa pangangailangan nina baby.”

She added that studies have shown fortified infant cereals can help improve overall nutrient intake and support appropriate growth, exactly the kind of evidence-based reassurance parents rarely hear outside of medical settings.

The caravan’s final stop in Brgy. Macabalan, Cagayan de Oro, carried extra weight. This is the same city where Cerelac conducted its clinical study on complementary feeding among infants, making it a fitting culmination of the caravan’s mission to bring research back to the community that helped generate it, translating data into tools parents could actually use.

As the event wrapped up, families left with more than freebies and photos. They walked away with clearer feeding frameworks, answers to long-held questions, and renewed confidence that they could nourish their bulilits well, even on ordinary days and with ordinary meals.