In 2014, the team of Dr. Cecilio N. Adorna who was commissioned by the National Nutrition Council to review the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) implementation in the country visited the San Juan City. They conducted interviews with the members of the city and selected barangay nutrition committees and beneficiaries of their nutrition program. They also had the opportunity to discuss with CNC Chair and City Mayor Guia G. Gomez their preliminary findings and recommendations to improve the city’s implementation of the PPAN. During that visit, Mayor Gomez gave her commitment to strengthen their city nutrition program. True to her word, she started “re-engineering” their city nutrition program by revitalizing their CNC and having them trained on nutrition program management.
Considerable improvements in the city’s nutrition program implementation were noted by the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) during the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) in the first quarter of 2015. However, much can still be done to improve the CNC’s performance. The Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) decided to include the city as one of the areas for its Shepherding Project. The members of the Regional Nutrition Management Group (RNMG) and technical staff of NNC-NCR conducted “shepherding” or mentoring visits in the city. They discussed with the new City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO) Dr. Rosalie M. Sto. Domingo and local nutrition program coordinators specific actions that can be done to improve their nutrition program management for nutrition improvement.
The CNC, inspired by the hands-on management of its chair, Mayor Guia Gomez, improved their planning, implementation and management of their city nutrition action plan to address the causes of malnutrition in their city. To enable them to scale up their nutrition efforts, they partnered with various groups/organizations such as the San Juan Medical Center Pediatric Department, San Juan Medical Society, Soroptimist International, Right Start, Inbisco Inc., JCI Pinaglabanan San Juan, Rotary Club of San Juan East, Rotary Club of San Juan West, Pastoral Council – Caritas, Our Lady of Lourdes Pediatric Department. They also revitalized the Barangay Nutrition Committees and encouraged them to invest in nutrition. The CNC regularly conducts meetings and program implementation review with Mayor Gomez.
The city budget for nutrition in 2015 had a total of Php 29 million that included the Php 9 million investment of the city government and funds from the barangay councils and partner government and private agencies.
From being rank 1 in terms of prevalence rate of undernutrition in 2013, the city now boasts of being rank 9 based on the 2015 OPT Plus results. They were able to reduce their undernutrition rate from 5.13% in 2013 to 1.81% in 2015. The city’s prevalence of wasting and stunting also declined continuously from 2013 to 2015. This nutrition improvement is a clear indication that San Juan City has done well in addressing the problem of malnutrition through the leadership of Mayor Guia Gomez. The CNC remains committed to do more and achieve more for the children of San Juan City.
Better Nutrition. Better Health. Bridging a Better Family Life and Community, the San Juan City Way.
Written by: Ms. Ma. Elizabeth C. Bueno, Nutritionist-Dietitian II, San Juan City
Ms. Bueno is a member of the City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators of Metro Manila Association, Inc.
