Malnutrition in the country is a pre-existing and persistent problem and can worsen in times of emergencies and disasters. Appropriate and timely delivery of nutrition interventions and responses are necessary during emergencies and disasters to prevent death and worsening of malnutrition of affected population groups.

To ensure that nutrition interventions and responses are well in place and coordinated particularly at the local level, all local government units are enjoined to organize their respective nutrition clusters. The NNC Governing Board through Resolution No. 1 Series of 2009 provides that the local nutrition committees shall serve as the local nutrition clusters.

The NCR Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC), through Resolution No. 5 Series of 2003, enjoins all LGUs to adopt the National Policy on Nutrition Management in Emergencies and organize their Nutrition Cluster. Similarly, the DILG-NCR also issued Regional Memorandum Circular No. 2014-09 strongly enjoining all local chief executives of Metro Manila to organize their local nutrition cluster and to strictly implement the National Policy on Nutrition Management during emergencies and disaster.

To date, in pursuant to these issuances, 14 out of 17 LGUs or 83% in Metro Manila has organized their respective nutrition clusters with 6 LGUs supported by an Executive Order. The remaining 3 LGUs namely, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas and Pasay are still working on the organization of their nutrition cluster.

At the regional level, the Regional Nutrition Cluster, composed of the members of the RNC and other partner agencies was organized in 2013, with the NNC-NCR as Chair and the DOH-NCR and Save the Children as Vice-Chairs. The nutrition clusters, both at the regional and local levels, shall ensure that the nutritional status of populations affected by emergencies and disasters will not worsen through the efficient and effective delivery of emergency nutrition response or the minimum nutrition service package in emergencies.