A total of 96 health and nutrition workers from the 17 local government units in Metro Manila were oriented on Mobilizing Community Support for Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) Program by the National Nutrition Council-NCR. The 4-day orientation was held on October 1-4 (batch 1 & 2) and 8-11, 2013 (batch 3 & 4) at Tagaytay Country Hotel in Tagaytay City. The orientation aims to prepare the nutrition workers for the conduct of roll-out orientation on mobilizing community support for IYCF in the 17 cities and municipality in the region.
The orientation was conducted in response to the need of health and nutrition workers for additional skills on mobilizing the community to be able to organize support groups that will counsel mothers on correct infant and young child feeding practices. The team of facilitators was composed of Dr. Shari Ludovina L. Sabalvaro (IYCF Coordinator of Mandaluyong City), Ms. Eileen S. Guevara (IYCF Coordinator of Marikina City), Ms. Maria Teresa G. Abando (Nutritionist-Dietitian II of Caloocan City), Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo and Nutrition Officer III Emerenciana L. Francia of NNC-NCR. Secretariat support was provided by NO II Anjelia C. San Buenaventura and NO I Princess Jean M. Algones of NNC-NCR.
The participants were oriented on how to use the Guide on Mobilizing Community Support for IYCF Program developed by NNC under the Joint Programme MDGF 2030: Ensuring Food Security and Nutrition for Children 0-24 Months Old in the Philippines. They were also taught how to use the Philippine version of the IYCF Counseling Cards, “Gabay sa Pagpapasuso at Pagpapakain ng Sanggol at Bata”, developed by UNICEF, NNC and the DOH. Participants also had a community practicum to practice their skills in counseling using the IYCF counseling cards.
The orientation culminated in the presentation of re-entry plans by the participants in conducting the roll-out orientation as well as activities in strengthening the IYCF program including the monitoring and follow-up of barangay IYCF implementers in mobilizing community support and organizing peer counsellors in their respective LGUs. Roll-out orientation/trainings in the LGUs are expected to be done on November of this year until the first quarter of 2014. All the 17 LGUs represented during the orientation committed to have a model or showcase barangay with organized community support group for IYCF.
