Around 4,000 Barangay Nutrition Scholars from all over the country converged for a four-part biennial national conference that renewed their commitment to end malnutrition in their respective barangays and make Philippines a malnutrition-free country.
The 4th National Conference of the Barangay Nutrition Scholars was anchored on the theme “PPAN para sa Bayan, Nutrisyon at Serbisyo” and geared towards the pivotal implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 as the country’s framework of action for nutrition improvement. The BNSs are integral to PPAN’s implementation because they play a key role in achieving its target outcomes, most especially in bridging the gap between families and service providers with regard to the delivery of nutrition and related services.
Through this conference, the BNSs were briefed on their tasks to implement the PPAN. Particularly, they are expected to identify and refer children with acute malnutrition because these cases require immediate treatment, and monitor their growth towards recovery. They are also tasked to support volunteer mothers in providing peer counselling to mothers on infant and young child feeding practices. In addition to this, BNSs are crucial in advocating for increased support for nutrition programs in their cities and municipalities.
A general assembly was also held in each sub-conference as an avenue for BNSs to discuss ways of supporting the implementation of the PPAN and other organizational concerns of the LuzViMin BNS Federation, Inc, the official BNS organization composed of more than 46,000 BNSs nationwide. Among the issues discussed are the advocacy for legislation to amend Presidential Decree 1569 which created the BNS in 1978, lack of permanency of tenure of BNSs as they can be easily replaced by a new local chief executive or Punong Barangay, and limited allowances with some receiving as low as Php100 per month depending on the LGU’s IRA.
For the Visayas sub-conference, Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Carlos Isagani T. Zarate graced the event as keynote speaker while Senator Cynthia Villar, who also sits as the Chairperson for the Senate Committee on Food and Agriculture, spoke during the Mindanao sub-conference. In behalf of Senator Villar, Atty. Rhaegee Tamana, Chief of Staff Managing Director, Committee on Agriculture and Development, served as the keynote speaker during the North Luzon sub-conference. Lastly, Gabriela Women’s Partylist Representative Emmi De Jesus, represented by her Chief of Staff Sheryl Alapad, gave the keynote message during the South Luzon sub-conference.
Meanwhile, the NNC, headed by Assistant Secretary of Health Maria-Bernardita T. Flores, appealed to the BNSs to continue serving their communities in ending malnutrition which is already referred to as a national emergency. Latest data shows that 33% of children under-five years old are stunted or short for their age, a condition that is irreversible and has negative impact on the child’s future health and productivity and the country’s economy.
The series of conferences was conducted per cluster: North Luzon Cluster (Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon and Cordillera Administrative Region) on 19-20 July at Hotel Stotsenberg, Clark, Angeles City, Pampanga; South Luzon Cluster (CALABARZON, MIMAROPA, Bicol and the National Capital Region) last 20-31 August at CAP-John Hay Trade and Cultural Center, Camp John Hay, Baguio City; Visayas Cluster (Western, Central and Eastern Visayas regions) on 4-5 July at Punta Villa Resort, Iloilo City; and Mindanao Cluster (Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, SOCKSSARGEN, Caraga and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao) on 9-10 August at SMX Convention Center Davao, SM Lanang Premier, Davao City.
The series of sub-conferences for the 4th National Conference for Barangay Nutrition Scholars was organized by the National Nutrition Council in partnership with the LuzViMin BNS Federation, Inc.
