In a virtual meeting of the Association of Nutrition Action Officers of NCR (ANAO-NCR), Inc. held on May 14, all Nutrition Action Officers (NAO) from the 17 LGUs committed to continue providing the needed and appropriate nutrition interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the community quarantine, be it Enhanced or Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ or MECQ), many families are experiencing hunger due to lack of or insufficient money to buy food.  Many have lost their livelihood and rely on relief goods and food packs from the local government and private donors.  Hunger and poverty during this pandemic may result in the worsening of the nutrition situation which is what the NAOs would like to prevent.

“In this challenging time, we are all busy addressing many concerns in our respective LGUs.  We see the increasing poverty due to the current situation. And it is a very challenging time also for nutrition. It is best that we come together and come up with the best solutions that will benefit everybody”, ANAO-NCR President Chef Oreta said in her opening message.

During the meeting, the COVID-19 nutrition responses of the 17 LGUs were discussed. Priority considerations were given to families of undernourished under-five children, pregnant and lactating women, persons with disabilities and older persons.  The LGUs enhance the nutrient content of family food packs by including  nutri-buns, fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, fresh fish, fresh and frozen chicken.  Many LGUs put up mobile markets to make the basic food commodities like rice, eggs, vegetables, pork, chicken and fish available and more accessible to the families.  Dry food rations including ready-to-use-supplementary food (RUSF) were given to undernourished under-five children and nutritionally at-risk pregnant women. Complementary foods were given to families with children 6-23 months old.

The NAOs, Nutritionist-Dietitians and Barangay Nutrition Scholars are vigilant in monitoring milk formula donation as this undermines breastfeeding and violates the Milk Code. Breastfeeding and proper complementary feeding are continuously promoted by the BNSs and NDs among mothers with children below two years old through counseling and lactation massage.  Vitamin A capsules are given to children 12-59 months old and post-partum mothers while iron-folic acid are given to pregnant mothers to prevent micronutrient deficiencies.  Frontline workers are given multivitamins and vitamin C to boost their immune system.

As the LGUs continue to fight COVID-19 and its deleterious effects to health and economy, the NAOs agreed to ensure that nutrition of the vulnerable groups in the population will be safeguarded through the various nutrition and related services.  Many of the LGUs’ good practices in their COVID-19 responses have been documented by the NNC-NCR and published on its webpage and Facebook fan page.  This is to recognize the LGUs’ effort in mitigating the effects of the pandemic to nutrition and to inspire other LGUs to do the same.  Some of the good practices of LGUs are the Mobile Palengke of Pasig City; Mobile Markets of different LGUs; Muntinlupa City’s food pack distribution to malnourished children; hot meals prepared by carinderias of Malabon City for underweight children; vegetable gardening of Muntinlupa City; Online IYCF counseling project of the CDNPC Association; Human Milk Banks in Malabon, Quezon City, Pasig, Makati and Taguig; BNSs as Modern Day Nutrition Heroes; Caloocan City’s Public-Private Partnership; Pasig City’s Food Coupons;  Nutri-bun of Las Pinas City; and Breastfeeding Support Groups of Marikina City.

The meeting of ANAO-NCR, Inc. was presided by its President Chef Melissa Oreta, assisted by NPC Mila Federizo. Present during the meeting were: Pasig CNAO Marissa Almario; San Juan CNAO Dr. Rosalie Sto. Domingo and ND Anthony Benabese; Navotas CNAO Coun. Julia Monroy; Mandaluyong CNAO Dr. Pecos Camarines; Muntinlupa CNAO Dr. Magdalena Meana; Pateros MNAO Jenine Ponce; Las Pinas CNAO Dr. Julio Javier; Valenzuela CNAO Dr. Marilyn Liwanag and ND Arlene Salita; Caloocan OIC CHO Dr. Evelyn Cuevas and ND Teresa Abando; Paranaque Asst CNAO Dr. Cristina Peñaflorida; Marikina CNAO Dr. Christy Sy; Makati CNAO Dr. Bernard Sese and ND Alma Gammad; Quezon City ND Marivic Perlada; Manila ND Butch Serafica; Taguig ND Joann Espiritu; and Pasay ND Elizabeth Angat.

The ANAO-NCR remains a strong partner of NNC-NCR in working for nutrition improvement in Metro Manila. (ELF/MEVF/NNCNCR)