“As your designated position implies, you are action officers – as such, you are expected to set nutrition activities in motion, to take action and do what is needed to improve the nutrition situation in your barangay. Sana pagtulungan po natin maiangat ang nutritional status ng mga bata at iligtas sila sa gutom at malnutrisyon”, said RNPC Mila V. Federizo in her opening message during the first ever regional conference of Barangay Nutrition Action Officers (BNAOs) in NCR.
On November 18, 2020, the National Nutrition Council-NCR (NNC-NCR) in partnership with the Association of Nutrition Action Officers of NCR (ANAO-NCR), Inc. conducted the online Regional Conference for BNAOs. The conference was attended by around 200 BNAOs from the 14 local government units in NCR. It aimed to capacitate the BNAOs on how they can better perform their roles and functions particularly during this pandemic. The BNAO is a key player in the nutrition program at the barangay level appointed or designated by the barangay chairperson who chairs the barangay nutrition committee (BNC). He/She is responsible for the coordination of the implementation of the nutrition interventions at the barangay level.
NNC Executive Director Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang, in her message, tagged the BNAOs as “Bayani Ng Ating Organisasyon”. As BNAOs, they should assist in organizing and making their barangay nutrition committee functional, creating their barangay nutrition action plan (BNAP) specific for the nutrition problems in the barangay, and ensuring that their BNAP is funded.
The need to invest in Nutrition as part of good governance was emphasized by RNPC Federizo in her presentation on the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition or PPAN. She encouraged all the BNAOs to aggressively push for the funding of their barangay nutrition programs particularly the First 1000 Days or F1K Program to prevent stunting. They need to influence the BNC to ensure that the package of nutrition services for pregnant women and children under 2 years of age is available and accessible in their barangays.
“The BNAOs are key players in the implementation of the PPAN”, said Nutrition Officer III Meren Francia as she explained the structure for coordination of the PPAN and the important roles and functions of the BNAOs in the implementation of the PPAN.
“Sa barangay level, si BNAO ang co-driver ni BNC Chair to drive nutrition programs towards nutrition improvement”, Pasig City Nutrition Action Officer Marissa C. Almario pointed out in her talk on The BNAO in integrating nutrition in local development plan and budgets. She underscored the important role of the BNAO in making sure that the barangay nutrition program, particularly the First 1000 Days Program, is adequately funded by the Barangay Council.
Malabon CNAO Chef Melissa S. Oreta talked on the role of BNAO in the F1K or First 1000 Days Program. “We feel that the greatest fulfillment comes from everyone’s willingness to do hare for nutrition. I feel that the more we speak of nutrition we have more people act on it”, Chef Oreta said. She shared their city’s “Karinderia para sa Kalusugan ni Chikiting (KKC) Project in support of the PPAN’s First 1000 Days program. She highlighted the significant contribution of the BNAOs in getting the cooperation of their barangays for their KKC project.
Participants also learned good practices during the conference as shared by BNAO Augusto R. Echano of Barangay New Lower Bicutan in Taguig City (The BNAO in making the BNC Functional), BNAO Salome Reyes of Barangay Acacia in Malabon City (The BNAO in the implementation of the PPAN and BNS Program), BNAO Rosalie Reyes of Barangay Addition Hills in San Juan City (The BNAO during the COVID-19 pandemic). BNAO Gerlyn A. Lagleva of Brgy. New Zaniga in Mandaluyong City also shared how the BNAOs can move the PPAN forward.
To cap the conference, salient points and “take home” messages were presented by San Juan CNAO Dr. Rosalie Sto. Domingo and the Closing Message was delivered by Mandaluyong CNAO and ANAO Vice-President Dr. Pecos Camarines.
Through the virtual conference, the BNAOs were motivated to become catalysts in making their BNCs active in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. The BNAOs were called on to initiate the scaling up of nutrition actions in their barangays to improve nutrition resiliency since malnutrition is a threat multiplier in the COVID-19 pandemic.
NNC Executive Director Dr. Dayanghirang urges the BNAOs, “Maging inspired kayo to implement the PPAN sa inyong barangay dahil kung kayo ay inspired, kayang kaya ninyong gawin ang lahat. Things work out best for those who make the best out of things. So, do your best and the best will come to you”.
(ELF/MEVF/NNCNCR)
