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Directors Bio 3471 2756

AZUCENA MILANA-DAYANGHIRANG, MD, MCH, CESO III
ASSISTANT SECRETARY and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL

Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang is an experienced public health leader. For the past 29 years, she has been a facilitator and a trainer for various health programs particularly on Maternal Child Health and Nutrition. She has served the people of Davao as City Nutrition Action Officer from 1991-1995; Chief of the Technical Services Division and Medical Officer VI of Davao City Health Office from 1996 to 2005; as well as the Provincial Health Officer II and Provincial Nutrition Action Officer of Davao del Sur from 2008 to 2016.

During her stint in the local government, she led the City Nutrition Committee in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programs. She initiated the “Fresh Milk Supplemental Feeding Program,” which led to the reduction of protein-energy malnutrition among 0-6-year-old children. She also successfully lobbied for the regularization of 32 Nutritionist-Dietitians deployed in the 16 Districts of Davao City in 1996.

In 2016, she was elected as the National President of the Nutrition Action Officers' Association of the Philippines (NAOPA), Inc. Shortly after, she was appointed as Deputy Executive Director of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), an attached agency of the Department of Health, Philippines. In August 2019, Dr. Dayanghirang was appointed as the Executive Director of the NNC. Currently, she is designated as the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Philippines Government Focal Point and most recently, appointed as a member of the Executive Committee of the Global Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement representing Asia and Papua New Guinea.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the appointment of Dr. Dayanghirang to Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) Rank III effective 3 December 2020. Recently, she was upgraded to Executive Director IV with the rank of Assistant Secretary as approved by President Duterte through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea on 21 July 2021.

Civil Society Organizations ally to combat malnutrition in PH

Details
Category: Directors Corner

Sun Delegates

Right before the Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic grew to an alarming rate in the Philippines, 110 delegates representing 55 civil society organizations gathered last March 5, 2020 at Hive hotel, Quezon City. They tackled how to work together to improve the nutrition of Filipinos; a very timely discussion when there’s no antidote to the virus other than good personal hygiene and boosting our immunity through good health and nutrition.

 Sun 2This special event, organized by the   Scaling Up Nutrition- Civil Society   Alliance Philippines (SUN CSA Ph)   with media partnership from   Inquirer.net, InqPOP!, DZUP, and   Wazzup Pilipinas was graced by the   United Nations Global Ambassador for   SUN Movement, Cherrie   Atilano. She   emphasized that access to diverse,   adequate, and nutritious food is not a                                                                               privilege but a   right of everyone. She                                                                             reiterated, “No   child or Filipino should                                                                           be left behind.” 

 Sun 3Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Executive Director, urged the delegates to grow  nutrition’s cause, “wherever they are planted”. By joining the SUN-CSA Ph, various organizations can participate in the Movement’s nutrition advocacies and adopt its nutrition agenda into their respective works to contribute to the global mission of ending malnutrition and hunger. 

Sun 4

World Vision Development Foundation, Inc., Adventist Development Relief Agency, and the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction shared the history of the civil society alliance in the country and the perks of joining the movement. These include inter-organization mentoring and opportunities to partner with both local and international non-government organizations. To avoid conflict of interest, the criteria and responsibilities of membership were discussed.

Sun 5  A Philippine map showing the scope of   programs (nutrition-specific and sensitive)   of participating organizations was   presented. Everyone was invited to   imagine the potential impact of an alliance   where efforts are united and clamor for   the same nutrition advocacy are done. It   could potentially move government and                                                                           civil society stakeholders to increase                                                                                investment on the nutrition of people.


Sun 6

The program concluded with the delegates pledging their commitment to end malnutrition. It was symbolized through the signing and piecing together of puzzle pieces that formed the challenge to act now to end malnutrition. Many civil society organizations were encouraged to join the alliance and be part of the global nutrition movement.

(Kirstein Itliong, International Institute of Rural Reconstruction)

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