10 January 2014, Mandaluyong City - In a joint meeting of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) and the Regional Management Group (RMG) of NCR held at the Conference Room of the DOH-NCR in Mandaluyong City, the RNC identified the priority areas for its Shepherding Project in 2014. The Shepherding Project of the RNC aims to assist the LGUs in improving their nutrition program management (NPM) by mentoring and providing them technical assistance.

The RMG members together with the official and technical staff of the National Nutrition Council-NCR conduct frequent monitoring visits in the priority LGUs to mentor and assist them in improving their planning and implementation of their local nutrition program. The priority areas for the project since 2012 were Navotas City and the Municipality of Pateros. Considerable improvements were observed in the nutrition program management of these LGUs based on the results of the monitoring and evaluation done by the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) in 2013. This year, the project will also cover the City of Parañaque which has expressed interest in improving further their nutrition program.

Aside from ‘shepherding’ or mentoring priority LGUs, the RNC plans to accomplish the following in 2014: (a) organize the Regional Bantay ASIN Task Force in support of the Salt Iodization Program of the government; (b) review and assess the RNC resolutions passed in 2012 and 2013 in terms of compliance by partner agencies, LGUs and other stakeholders; (c) include nutrition concerns in promoting Men’s Health; (d) intensify the promotion of the Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos (NGF); and (e) ensure functionality of the regional nutrition cluster, among others.

The joint meeting of the RNC and RMG was presided by POPCOM-NCR Regional Director and RNC Vice-Chair Lolito Tacardon assisted by NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo.