Nutrition partners in Metro Manila pledged their commitment in reducing all forms of malnutrition in the region with the implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 at the regional dissemination forum held on January 11 at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City.
Around 250 participants from the regional and local nutrition committees, local chief executives, city/municipal nutrition action officers (C/MNAOs), city/municipal nutrition program coordinators (C/DNPCs), schools division office superintendents and nurse coordinators, barangay nutrition scholars (BNS), partners from non-government organizations (NGOs) and members of media guaranteed their support to ensure that PPAN will be effectively and efficiently implemented in order to achieve its goals and targets both at the regional and local levels.
“The main problem of concern is the various forms of malnutrition, that is being short-for-age or bansot, being thin-for-age or payat, and being overweight or obese or mataba. Deficiencies in vitamin A, iron, and iodine, and hunger and food insecurity are also concerns that need to be addressed. These nutrition-related problems have been our persistent enemy that we need to conquer if we want to save the lives and future of our children. This is where PPAN 2017-2022 comes in.” NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa Federizo said.
PPAN 2017-2022: A call for urgent action
The PPAN 2017-2022 is the country’s framework for nutrition improvement. It is an integral part of the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022 that contributes to AmBisyon Natin 2040, the Sustainable Development Goals, and World Health Assembly. It lays the targets, directions and priorit0-y actions that guide national government agencies, local government units (LGUs), NGOs and other stakeholders on the necessary measures which are crucial to the improvement of the region’s nutrition situation.
RNPC Federizo presented the new PPAN with its eight (8) nutrition-specific programs as well as examples of nutrition-sensitive programs that can reduce the problem of hunger and malnutrition in Metro Manila. To achieve the PPAN targets, she encouraged LGUs to think out of the box and develop new strategies to attain better results.
A symbolic turn-over led by RNPC Federizo was also done wherein representatives from the regional nutrition committee (RNC) member agencies, presidents of the regional associations of C/MNAOs, C/DNPCs and BNSs, partner NGOs and regional media group chair formally received the PPAN 2017-2022 document.
Commitments to PPAN implementation at the regional level
Stakeholders who are the PPAN movers in the region pledged to support the PPAN implementation in NCR.
The Department of Health – National Capital Regional Office represented by Dr. Jeremiah Chan committed to address the malnutrition problem in NCR by enhancing the nutrition programs in the region to reach more residents who need better nutrition, provide technical expertise and encourage other stakeholders to advocate excellent nourishment for every human being in order for them to have a healthy life for a better tomorrow. “As the nation’s leader, the DOH-NCRO commit to guarantee equitable, accessible and quality health services through health service delivery.” Dr. Chan added.
Dr. Jocelyn Marcial of the Department of Education-NCR expressed the agency’s support to the PPAN by continuing the various nutrition programs of DepEd-NCR, such as Gulayan sa Paaralan, school-based feeding program and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) Project, to address the malnutrition problem of school children.
Likewise, the Department of Social Welfare and Development-NCR will continue to support the PPAN by implementing nutrition-specific programs such as dietary supplementation program for day care children, promotion of healthy lifestyle among clients during family development sessions for 4Ps and DSWD-NCR personnel and procurement of iodized salt by each centers and residential care facility. “DSWD-NCR will work with different agencies and stakeholders in addressing the problem on nutrition as we believe that health and nutrition is everyone’s concern and requires efforts from government agencies, NGOs, LGUs and other stakeholders.” DSWD-NCR Assistant Regional Director Manuela Loza emphasized.
Department of the Interior and Local Government- NCR (DILG-NCR) represented by Mr. Zotico Villanueva pledged to embrace its role on the PPAN implementation that will be defined in the Memoradum Circular (MC) to be issued by the Department. This MC will serve as the legal basis of DILG-NCR in the monitoring of LGUs to ensure that PPAN programs are part of the AIP and other local development plans.
“DILG-NCR is given the authority to review the GAD Plan and Budget (GPB) of each LGU. We see the need to include nutrition programs, projects and activities in the GPB and so we highly encourage LGUs to do the same.” Villanueva added.
NCR Nutrition Communication Resource Group (NCR2) Chair Marvin Capco stressed that information is power. An informed community is an empowered community able to pursue and uphold change that will have better results. The NCR2 is committed to uphold the implementation of the PPAN specifically to provide adequate information to the public through the use of multimedia strategies. He also urged the LGUs to take further steps in intensifying the promotion of good nutrition in their respective websites, social media and on their local newsletters and broadcast station.
Lastly, Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) Executive Director Mary Christine Castro commit to increase the convergence of civil societies with government and other sectors to meet the goals and targets of the PPAN. “We pledge to continue and improve our present programs such as provision of nutrition supplements, fortified foods and micronutrient powder to clients, provision of Ready-to-Use Supplementary Foods for pregnant women and young children to prevent stunting, reviving the Bulilit books and updating the Pabasa sa Nutrisyon materials to incorporate the revised Nutritional Guidelines for Filipinos, Pinggang Pinoy and other updates.” Dr. Castro said.
NCP also plan to address other aspects that are presented in the PPAN that are not yet being addressed in the Philippines such as nutrition among Tuberculosis patients.
Scaling up nutrition action at the local level
City Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Pecos Camarines of Mandaluyong City also shared their city’s best practices to show that PPAN programs are indeed feasible at the local level. By making nutrition a priority, Mandaluyong City allotted funds for the implementation of nutrition programs which led to the reduction of malnutrition rate in the city. These practices, together with the support and cooperation of the CNC, barangay nutrition committees, BNSs and other nutrition workers, helped the city achieve the Nutrition Honor Award in 2016, the highest award conferred to an LGU by the National Nutrition Council.
In his keynote message, Keynote speaker Deputy Chair of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Undersecretary Frisco S. San Juan Jr. recognized malnutrition as a major challenge in Metro Manila despite being a highly urbanized metropolis.
“Double burden of malnutrition in the form of undernutrition and overnutrition is observed in NCR affecting primarily the vulnerable population groups such as children and women.” San Juan said.
Usec. San Juan stressed that success of the PPAN programs depends on the effective implementation at the local level in partnership with all the stakeholders including the private sector. “Sama-sama po tayo para sa makabuluhang pagbabago tungo sa lalong pagpapalawig ng mas malusog na pangangatawan at pamayanan sa kalakhang Maynila.” he said. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
