Nutrition promotion is one of our municipality’s development thrust that was spelled out in the Executive Legislative Agenda (ELA). The ELA of Tublay takes cognizance of the equal importance of both human resource and infrastructure development. Health and nutrition promotion is one of the road maps taken by the municipality in the area of human resource development. The strategy hopes to improve productivity and wellbeing of the constituents.
The first planning workshop conducted by the MNC and BNCs after their reorganization in 2007 resulted to the conceptualization of the municipal nutrition plan framework dubbed as “Tublay SHINES”. This is an acronym which stands for: Safe environment & disaster preparedness; Health and social services; Income generation and livelihood initiatives; Nutritious food intake and breastfeeding; Education focused on nutrition advocacy, promotion of healthy lifestyle and gender equality; Stable food supply and hunger mitigation. The said framework consists of a package of inter sector activities whose overall goal is to combat malnutrition thus improving the quality of life. The plan framework also acts as a converging point where different agencies collaborate for nutrition promotion. The components of “Tublay SHINES” is a localized version of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) and the National Nutrition Council Impact Programs. The success of “Tublay SHINES” would be their humble contribution to achieving the PPAN. Nutrition intervention programs, projects and services were implemented within the framework of SHINES.
On the lighter side, the municipal nutrition committee conceptualized the SHINES to reflect the desire to shine in nutrition program implementation, a desire which was elusive in distant past. The Sangguniang Bayan of Tublay is preparing to institutionalize through an ordinance the “Tublay SHINES” as the municipal plan framework in nutrition promotion.
The highlight of nutrition program activities throughout the years are the staging of the Nutrition Month celebration every month of July. In the Municipality of Tublay, observance of nutrition month commences in July then runs through out until a culmination program in November that coincides with the month-long municipal foundation month anniversary celebration. Nutrition advocacy is being intensified in all the celebrations at various sites that is especially focused on the theme of the celebration. In 2017, the theme focused on the importance of having a healthy diet which should be adopted as a lifelong commitment.
Foremost activity to sustain the gains in nutrition initiatives is the ongoing nutri-clinic being conducted in the barangays. It is desired that with this activity, there will be a continuous flow of nutrition services at the grassroots. Second is the granting of awards and incentives to best performing barangay nutrition committee. Assessment and evaluation were integrated in the “Seal of Barangay Good Local Governance” project where nutrition promotion is one of the indicators.
Let it be mentioned that strengthened collaborative efforts among different stakeholders in the municipality coupled with leveled up documentation techniques through the “Tublay SHINES” conceptual framework resulted to reaping of awards not only in nutrition but also in other endeavors as well. For example, the municipality was able to pass the stringent requirements of the Seal of Good Local Governance Award of the DILG for the past several years and the other departments in the municipality were awardees in their own respective field after adopting the “SHINES” conceptual model.
“Tublay SHINES” will continue to be the framework for policy direction in nutrition governance. While nutrition speaks basically of food utilization, other programs like promotion of safe environment, capability building, increase in family income, sustainable agriculture, health services, health care financing and social programs will all be integrated to have a holistic approach. Despite financial constraints, being a fifth-class municipality, Tublay continues to let the light fuming, indeed, keep shining Tublay!
