The National Nutrition Council – NCR (NNC-NCR) pushes the Punong Barangays and members of the Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) in Metro Manila to move the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) forward for nutrition improvement and scale up nutrition programs in the barangays during the Regional Dialogue with Punong Barangays: Enabling Nutrition Devolution held on November 16 and 18, 2021.

Conducted via Zoom and streamed via the NNC-NCR Facebook Page, the 2-day event aimed to enhance the awareness of PPAN in the barangay, the roles and responsibilities of BNC members, and expanding contact points for investment in nutrition. It was attended by 1,443 Punong Barangays, barangay nutrition action officers, barangay nutrition scholars and other BNC members, Sangguniang Kabataan, nutritionist-dietitians and local DILG office representatives.

In her presentation, NNC-NCR Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa Federizo highlighted the importance of the PPAN as the country’s framework for nutrition improvement and the formulation of its local version in the barangays, the Barangay Nutrition Action Plan (BNAP). She reiterated that the BNC formulates and manages the implementation of BNAP which should be aligned with the PPAN targets. The BNAP should contain goals and objectives, implementation details, plan for monitoring and evaluation, and budgetary requirements. 

Implications and opportunities to strengthen nutrition programs under the implementation of the Supreme Court Ruling on Mandanas-Garcia Petitions were also presented.

“Mahalaga ang Punong Barangay at ang mga miyembro ng BNC sa solusyon sa malnutrisyon; bahagi kayo ng solusyon,” RNPC Federizo said.

She added, “We know what to do and we have the programs in place. We just need to do better or scale up, taking advantage of the Mandanas Ruling. Intensify efforts on the first 1000 days of life to prevent all forms of malnutrition,”.

In light of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling, OIC-Chief Budget and Management Specialist of the Department of Budget and Management – NCR, Ms. Katherine Castro presented the legal basis on the allocation of local funds for the programs, projects, and activities in the local nutrition action plan. Her presentation helped capacitate the BNCs on how barangays can budget nutrition interventions.

Through a panel discussion, Punong Barangays Roberto Alba of Barangay Onse, San Juan City and Maricar Vivero of Barangay Pinagbuhatan, Pasig City and 2015 National Outstanding BNS, Mary Grace Tamayo of Barangay Pag-asa, Mandaluyong City shared the good practices on the PPAN implementation in their respective barangays and their insights on the opportunities for nutrition based on the implications of the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling.

Barangays were also able to assess their nutrition situation during the workshop, commit three (3) key actions that the BNC will do to align their BNAP with the PPAN, and identify support or assistance needed to strengthen their barangay nutrition program. 

The NNC-NCR is hopeful that all BNCs in Metro Manila will become active and functional, formulate their BNAPs aligned with PPAN targets, implement nutrition specific, sensitive, and enabling programs and intensify efforts on the first 1000 days of life to prevent all forms of malnutrition.

To all BNCs, be one of the spoons and be an advocate of good nutrition in the first 1000 days of life. Move the PPAN forward for nutrition improvement --- dahil sa PPAN, panalo ang bayan!

Written by:
NOII Theresa A. Rivas and
NPC Milagros Elisa V. Federizo