The inter-agency Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team of the National Capital Region (RNET-NCR) successfully completed the conduct of the annual Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation or MELLPI in all the 16 cities and one (1) municipality in Metro Manila.
MELLPI is the monitoring and evaluation strategy of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) which is used to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning, implementation and management of nutrition and nutrition-related programs of the LGUs. This year, the new tool named MELLPI Protocol or MELLPI Pro was used to evaluate the local government units (LGUs).
The MELLPI Pro is the updated monitoring and evaluation framework and system developed for the nutrition sector covering the assessment of nationwide initiatives along policy and legislation, nutrition service delivery, and capacity-building. Compared with the old tool, the MELLPI Pro emphasizes assessment of LGUs' progress toward compliance to quality standards; evidence-based validation; and mentoring through joint discussion for learning and action discussion with the LGU or nutrition workers assessed.
NNC-NCR conducted a training on the MELLPI Pro for Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs) and local nutrition program coordinators, and RNET members on February 26-27 and March 6-7, 2019, respectively. The RNET in NCR is composed of 19 representatives from the different member agencies of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) and the academe. This year’s RNET Chair is Ms. Maria Vicenta C. Magpantay of Polytechnic University of the Philippines – Main Campus. NNC-NCR serves as the secretariat of the group.
The RNET was able to visit the 17 LGUs from March 12, 2019 up to April 11, 2019. However, the group will conduct another round of visits to all LGUs within the year for the NAOs’ evaluation. Activities done during the MELLPI visit include review of documents and plenary interview with local nutrition committee (LNC) members and the search for the 2018 Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholar (ROBNS). The MELLPI results signed by the RNET were turned-over to the C/MNAOs, with a handshake, witnessed by the City/Municipal Nutrition Committee members.
Results of the MELLPI will be deliberated on by the RNET to determine the LGUs eligible to receive the Certificate of Quality Nutrition Program as well as recipients of special awards. Since 2019 is the transition period from MELLPI to MELLPI Pro, the MELLPI scores this year shall serve as baseline to be used in determining the cut-off scores for the Green Banner Award in the succeeding years.
The results of the Search for the 2018 ROBNS will also be presented to the RNET during the deliberation meeting on May 17. The results of the 2019 MELLPI and Search for 2018 ROBNS will be presented to the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) for their concurrence. The outstanding LGUs and 2018 ROBNS will be recognized at the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) in July. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
