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NCR Nutrition Clusters respond to Typhoon Ulysses

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Category: Region NCR

Typhoon Ulysses 2Typhoon Ulysses has left devastation in its wake. Both people and the environment have not had the time to recover from the damage brought upon by Typhoons Quinta, Rolly, Siony, and Tonyo making our country more vulnerable to the effects of Typhoon Ulysses.

From evening of November 11 until November 12, 2020, tropical cyclone warning Signal No. 3 was raised in Metro Manila. According to Pagasa, when the third warning signal is raised, people are advised to seek shelter inside strong buildings, evacuate if living in low-lying areas, and stay away from coasts and riverbanks as moderate to heavy damage is expected.

Ulysses may have already left the Philippine area of responsibility on Friday morning, November 13, but it also left residents with severe damage to property due to flooding. Some were also left with no homes to go back to and thousands of residents in Metro Manila were forced to stay in evacuation centers.

In preparation for the typhoon, local nutrition clusters of the 17 local government units (LGU) in Metro Manila ensured the availability of safe, adequate and appropriate commodities such as micronutrient supplements (vitamin A and iron), micronutrient powder (MNP), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) tapes for children and adults, and IYCF counseling cards. These were prepositioned in the evacuation centers/health centers for immediate distribution or use. 

During the onslaught of the typhoon, members of the local nutrition clusters, specifically the barangay nutrition scholars and nutritionist-dietitians, were deployed to their designated evacuation centers to assist in the immediate delivery of services such as provision of hot meals, food rations and hygiene kits, among others. They also conducted profiling of population affected to ensure their nutritional well-being especially those who are nutritionally vulnerable: infants less than 6 months, young children from 6-23 months and older children 24-59 months, older persons, persons with disabilities (PWDs), pregnant and lactating women, and female adolescents. Some LGUs also conducted rapid nutritional assessment of below 5 years old using the mid-upper arm circumference tape.

Other nutrition interventions provided as part of nutrition response during the typhoon were:

  • Protection and reinforcement of breastfeeding and promotion of desirable complementary feeding practices
    • Counseling on breastfeeding and complementary feeding
    • Relactation massage
    • Putting up of breastfeeding corner/tent in the evacuation center
    • Posting of “No Milk Donation” tarpaulins
  • Vitamin A supplementation to children less than 5 years old
  • Iron supplementation for pregnant and lactating women
  • Provision of MNP to children 6-23 months
  • Provision of COVID-19 kit (face mask, shield, and alcohol), hygiene kit and sleeping kit
  • Provision of ready-to-use supplementary food (RUSF) among children 6-59 months


The Regional Nutrition Cluster chaired by the National Nutrition Council – NCR (NNC-NCR) monitored the status of the nutrition interventions conducted and availability of logistics in the LGUs. Reports from the local Information Management Officers (IMOs) encoded in the 4Ws reporting form and photo documentation were consolidated for reporting to the national nutrition cluster. Request of Marikina City for MNP, RUSF and ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) was also forwarded to the Metro Manila Center for Health Development (MMCHD).

Through the NNC-NCR Facebook Page, various infographics were shared to inform the public of the “No Milk Donation” Policy in compliance to Executive Order 51 or the Milk Code and Its Implementing Rules and Regulations. Donations of breastmilk substitutes including infant formula, powdered milk and other milk; feeding bottles, teats and commercial baby food are not allowed and that these should not be part of the general distribution of emergency food packs.

Based on NNC Governing Board Resolution No. 1 series of 2009, the nutrition committee of the LGU shall function as the local nutrition cluster and in the context of emergency management shall be considered a sub-structure of the local disaster coordinating council. The local nutrition cluster shall take charge of nutrition management in emergencies and disasters. It is a sub-cluster of the Health Cluster together with Health (Public Health and Hospitals), Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS).   (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)

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