A Refresher on Local Nutrition Program Planning (LNPP) was held at the Provincial Heath Office (PHO) in La Trinidad, Benguet on March 17, 2022. Organized by the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-CAR in partnership with the Benguet Provincial Nutrition Committee through the PHO, said refresher was participated by the Provincial/Municipal Nutrition Action Officers (P/MNAOs) and members of the Provincial/Municipal Nutrition Committees (P/MNCs) in the province.
The refresher was deemed necessary after the recognition that though the different nutritional status prevalence of the province falls below the regional target for each indicator, there is still a need for continuing strategic and purposive action to address the present nutrition problem. In Benguet in 2021, prevalence for stunting is at 5.97%, for overweight and obesity is 2.03%, for underweight is 1.47% and for wasted 0.59%.
Also, one of the functions of the Local Nutrition Committees (LNCs) is to come up with a Local Nutrition Action Plan (LNAP) and ensure its integration to the sectoral plans of the Local Government Unit (LGU) and higher-level plans for funding. In preparation for this, local nutrition planning is very crucial as guide for implementing nutrition projects, assessing, and evaluating efforts and generating resources. Local nutrition planning involves several activities that are undertaken by the LNC under the leadership of the local chief executive, with the nutrition action officer as overall coordinator.
Moreover, with the upcoming elections, the province and the municipalities will again be preparing their three-year LNAPs from 2023-2025. Thus, NNC-CAR saw the need for a refresher on LNAP to orient, capacitate and guide nutrition workers particularly P/MNAOs and other members of the P/MNCs in the preparation for the creation of their action plans with their municipal nutrition committees, incorporating updates on the nutrition program and to adapt to current situation brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Among the pool of speakers during the refresher were Benguet PNAO Amy Cayap (lectured about Conducting the Situational Analysis), NNC-CAR Nutrition Officer II Velanie Dao-ines (facilitated the lecture and workshop on Setting Goals and Outcome Objectives), and NNC-CAR OIC-Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Bella Basalong, whose lecture-discussion included Identifying & Prioritizing Interventions, Preparing Workplan/ Operational Plan, Designing Monitoring and Evaluation Plan, Plan Packaging, and Adoption of the LNAP.
The whole-day activity was also graced by Dr. Marcela Tinoyan, former Municipal Health Officer and Municipal Nutrition Action Officer of Tublay, Benguet, and the 2019 Outstanding Regional NAO as she shared strategies and tips on how the LNAPS of the LGUs can be funded. She underscored the importance and advantages of collaborating with private entities such as businesses especially for funding and donations.
SIMON B. COPEZ & BELLA M. BASALONG
