Sixteen local nutrition program coordinators and a midwife from the 17 cities and municipality of Metro Manila got together for a three-day Writeshop on Good Practices on IYCF on October 19-21, 2011 at the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) in Silang, Cavite. The writeshop was part of the Local Media Plan of the National Nutrition Council at the National Capital Region.

Local Nutrition Committees in Metro Manila have implemented and or are currently implementing innovative and good practices in their nutrition programs and projects but many of these are not well documented. The National Nutrition Council-NCR saw the need to equip local nutrition program coordinators with the knowledge and skills in process documentation and develop their appreciation of the importance of documentation as part of good nutrition program management. In response to this, a writeshop was conducted by NNC-NCR in partnership with the IIRR.

The Technical Working Group headed by Nutrition Program Coordinator Milagros Elisa V. Federizo and the team of facilitators/trainers from IIRR composed of Ms. Emilia M. Oro, Ms. Mary Ann B. Llanza and editor Ms. Rowena C. Paraan assisted the participants or “pool of writers” in writing their case stories on their good practices on IYCF. The participants worked hard in writing, peer reviewing and editing their stories during the three-day writeshop.
The pool of writers from the 17 local government units is composed of Ma. Teresa G. Abando (Caloocan); Grace Chelo P. Almarez (Malabon City); Carmelita P. Sumagpang (Valenzuela); Rosemarie G. Santos(Navotas); Mary Ann T. Padre (Quezon City); Eileen S. Guevara (Marikina); Josie Clemens D.R. Caramat(Pasig); Carmela P. Pascua (Taguig); Joyce P. Parco (Pateros); Soccoro Alma F. Gammad (Makati);Elizabeth S. Abril (Manila); Anthony V. Benabese (San Juan); Ma. Carmen M. Cruz (Mandaluyong); Elizabeth A. Angat (Pasay); Valentina E. Encabo (Parañaque); Jenny R. Quines (Las Piñas); and Ana C. Ordenes (Muntinlupa).

Case stories focused on the establishment of breastfeeding stations/corners; organization of breastfeeding support groups; role of breastfeeding support groups during emergencies; public and private partnership in IYCF promotion; conduct of breastfeeding forums; and production of indigenous complementary food mix among others.

The case stories of the 17 LGUs will be made into a compendium of good practices on IYCF in NCR which will be printed and disseminated to LGUs and partner agencies to serve as an advocacy tool in promoting further IYCF as an important intervention against hunger and malnutrition.
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