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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.

NNC holds its 3rd ManCon virtually amid COVID-19

Details
Category: Directors Corner

picture 3rd mancon 2020

Headed by Executive Director Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang, the management of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) gathered virtually for the 3rd Quarterly Management Conference (ManCon), s.2020 on 28-29 September and 2 October 2020. Along with Executive Director Dayanghirang, the management is composed of the 17 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinators (RNPCs) and 5 Division Chiefs of the NNC central office (CO).

It has been a usual practice for the Division Chiefs of the NNC CO to present updates, accomplishments, and concerns of their divisions. However, considering that we are facing challenges brought about by COVID-19 and that the regional offices (ROs)are directly acting or coordinating at the regional level to address these, RNPCs were requested to report instead. Included in their presentations were the following: 1) accomplishments as of 15 September;    2) good news from the ROs such as factors that contributed to the implementation of planned activities even with COVID-19 as well as good practices on COVID response that can be replicated in other regions; 3) challenges that affected the implementation of planned activities; and 4) corrective measures to ensure that the challenges encountered are addressed.

During the ManCon, the management was also updated by Executive Director Dayanghirang  and Ms. Hygeia Ceres Catalina B. Gawe, OIC Chief of the Nutrition Policy and Planning Division on the developing discussions among NNC, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary and the National Economic and Development Authority in connection with the Dietary Supplementation Program. While discussions were ongoing, the NNC received news that the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) approved a resolution for the conduct of dietary supplementation program involving the distribution of cash or food packs to 6-23-month-old children and nutritionally-at-risk pregnant women. This even urged the management to fast track activities, gathering of necessary data and preparation of documents related to the said program.

A session was dedicated to the retirement testimonials for NPC Nona B. Tad-y, outgoing NPC of Region VI. NPC Tad-y was recognized for her 27 years of exemplary service to the NNC and will always be remembered by her colleagues as a gentle and fine public official who can be resolute in propelling staff efficiency and effectiveness at the regional office and likewise at the multi-level regional nutrition network at large.

The launching and awarding of Q-Webby Awards was also conducted on the last day of ManCon to recognize regional offices who have excellent performance based on their web page and Facebook analytics.

ManCon is conducted quarterly to update the management on the status of various NNC programs, projects and activities to ensure that these are on track and that resources are utilized properly.

(Kristine T. Vitasa, EA, OED)