The National Nutrition Nutrition Council – NCR (NNC-NCR) conducted an online orientation on the Revised Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro) for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) on November 24, 2020.
The orientation, attended by more than 400 BNSs from the 17 local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila, aimed to prepare the participants for next year’s evaluation of LGU and nutrition workers using the MELLPI Pro.
In her welcome message, NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo emphasized the importance of monitoring and evaluation using the MELLPI Pro to assess if the planned interventions are producing positive nutritional outcomes. She also encouraged the participants to not give up and lose hope even with the pandemic and continue providing the nutrition services in their community.
“Now more than ever, kailangan kayo ng inyong community para magabayan sila at mapatatag ang kanilang kakayahan laban COVID-19. Kaya sama-sama po tayo at ating pagtulungang makamit ang nutrition improvement, may COVID man o wala", RNPC Federizo said.
The MELLPI Pro is designed to monitor and evaluate the performance of LGUs being the key implementers of the PPAN in promoting nutrition security vis-à-vis targeted nutrition outcomes. It aims to inform and guide policy and decision makers and enhance nutrition products, services and delivery systems towards greater effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability.
Nutrition Officers Theresa Rivas and Emerenciana Francia discussed the MELLPI Pro Tool for the barangay and nutrition workers specifically for the BNS, respectively. For the barangay tool, NOII Rivas discussed the performance indicators along the six (6) dimensions on which the barangay nutrition committees will be evaluated on: 1) Vision and mission; 2) Nutrition laws and policies; 3) Governance and organizational structure; 4) Local Nutrition Committee Management Functions; 5) Nutrition interventions/services; and 6) Change in the nutritional status in the LGU.
Likewise, NOIII Francia explained the indicators used to assess the performance of frontline nutrition workers in carrying out their core functions in line with delivering nutrition services in their locality: 1) Coordination; 2) Advocacy; 3) Planning; 4) Implementation; 5) Monitoring and evaluation; 6) Resource generation; 7) Documentation and record keeping; and 8) Capacity building.
Applying the concepts learned from the orientation, the BNSs are expected to coordinate with their respective barangay nutrition committees (BNC) the activities and documents needed to comply with the performance indicators. They are expected to perform their tasks compliant to the dimensions and elements of a nutrition worker’s performance based on the MELLPI Pro. The BNSs are also encouraged to continue providing First 1000 Days interventions even during the pandemic such as active case finding and referral of pregnant women, distribution of micronutrient supplements, promotion of infant and young child feeding, and child growth monitoring and promotion, among others. (TAR/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)
