The National Nutrition Council – NCR (NNC-NCR) held its 5th Regional NGO Forum with the theme, “Strengthening GO-NGO Partnership for Nutrition Action in Metro Manila” on 21 June 2018 at the Robbinsdale Hotel in Quezon City. The forum aims to build linkages and strengthen existing partnerships with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for better nutrition actions in Metro Manila.
The forum was attended by sixteen (16) NGOs: Hapag-asa/Caritas – Novaliches, Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health, Food for the Hungry Philippines, ERDA Foundation, Odyssey Foundation, Unified Hands for the Indigents, Young Focus for Education and Development Foundation, Letnuk Foundation/BNAO Association of Taguig City, Tondo Blessed Hope Bible Baptist Church, Save Palawan Seas Foundation, Children International, Care Channels, Alay Pag-asa Christian Foundation, Muntinlupa Development Foundation, La Proteccion De La Infancia and Children’s Hour. Also present were representatives from six (6) member agencies of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) namely, Commission on Population-NCR, Philippine Information Agency-NCR, Grace Family Helper Project, Innerwheels Club of the Philippines, Save the Children, ABS-CBN Bantay Bata Foundation, and Department of Social Welfare and Development-NCR.
The NNC-NCR has been convening the NGOs with nutrition programs and related services within Metro Manila in a forum since 2014. Now on its 5th year, the forum has become an event awaited by NGO partners in the region as this provides them the opportunity to be updated with the nutrition situation, nutrition policies and guidelines, and existing nutrition programs and projects in Metro Manila. It also serves as a venue for NGOs to share good practices and innovative nutrition strategies and build alliances with other organizations. This year’s forum also served as an opportunity to get the commitment and participation of the NGOs in the implementation of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive programs of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 in the region.
In his opening message, Popcom-NCR Regional Director and RNC Vice Chair Mr. Lydio M. Español, Jr. emphasized the importance of getting the GAs and NGOs to work together and move the PPAN forward for nutrition improvement.
NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo explained the roles of the NGOs on scaling up nutrition actions in the region for better impact. She stressed the importance of convergence of nutrition actions and complementation of resources for better impact and sustained nutrition improvement. She also discussed the guidelines in the implementation of the Dietary Supplementation Program.
To strengthen the commitment of NGOs to the PPAN, participants were asked to identify their programs, projects and activities that are aligned to the PPAN objectives. As observed in the past forum, more NGO engagement are needed in food fortification, nutrition in emergencies and prevention and control of overweight and obesity.
Food for the Hungry – Philippines (Ms. Eddais Diadem Mahinay) and Children International (Ms. Jennifer Santos and Mr. Joseph Brianne Guiller Misajon) shared their organization’s nutrition programs, projects, and strategies. Participants were also asked to locate on the NCR map where their respective organizations have on-going nutrition programs or projects. Through the updated mapping of NGOs, cities or municipality without NGO assistance are identified. This information can guide NGOs in the selection of target program sites.
In her closing message, RNPC Federizo emphasized the importance of GO-NGO partnership in addressing the nutrition challenges in Metro Manila. “Your presence here at the forum is a good indication that we all share the same passion in improving the nutrition situation in the region. We at NNC-NCR are truly grateful that all of you will be our partners in our fight against hunger and malnutrition. Let us all work together in improving the lives of children through good nutrition”, RNPC Federizo added. (TAR/MEVF/NNC-NCR)
