The National Nutrition Council Regional Office 1 (NNC-ROI) in partnership with the League of Nutrition Action Officers of Region 1 (RLNAO-I) has successfully conducted the 2020 Nutrition Month Webinar Series cum RLNAOs Online Conference held every Tuesday from July 21-August 25, 2020 via Zoom Cloud in lieu of the postponed annual RLNAOs Conference-Workshop for this year. The live streaming of each session was also posted on the Official Facebook Page of NNC-ROI.
This webinar series aims to update and equip the Nutrition Action Officers, members of the Local Nutrition Committees, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and other local nutrition workers with the knowledge and skills to sustain efficient and effective management of local nutrition programs. In addition, it is also a venue to enhance their capacities and competencies to improve the delivery of nutrition services and implement the programs of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022 to address hunger and malnutrition in their respective areas.
Around 500 plus participants composed of nutrition action officers, nutrition program coordinator, barangay nutrition scholars, member of nutrition committees, nutritionist-dietitians, researchers, teachers, and other stakeholders attended the said event.
This webinar was composed of 6 sessions which include Stunting and First 1000 Days, Ensuring Food Safety during pandemic: moving towards a new normal, Mental Health during COVID-19 Pandemic, E-document like a pro! Essentials of Good Documentation for Local Nutrition Committees, Vegetable production to ensure food security amid COVID-19 pandemic and Strengthening the local nutrition actions through integration: Key policies for local nutrition planning in the new normal.
The first session which was aligned with the focus of nutrition month for this year, Stunting and First 1000 Days was discussed by Ms. Jovita Raval, Chief, Nutrition Information and Education Division, National Nutrition Council and moderated by Mr. John Philip Gabriel, MNAO of Bacnotan, La Union. This session aided the participants to understand more about stunting and why there is a need to address the problem.
The next session Ensuring Food Safety during pandemic was tackled by Mr. Decth1180 Libunao, Laboratory Head of Department of Science and Technology Region 1 and lead by Ms. Gianne Laynedl Bolante, Administrative Aide VI of NNC-ROI. This was a great help in ensuring that the preparation of the food we eat was safe especially now that we are facing the pandemic.
Following was the session on Mental Health during COVID-19. The speaker for this session was Dr. Magnolia Brabante, Medical Officer IV, Mental Health Program of Center for Health Development Region 1 and facilitated by Ms. Clariza Jane Carganilla, MNAO of Tagudin, Ilocos Sur. This session helped in determining the signs and symptoms of stress and how to cope up.
On the fourth session, E-document like a pro! “Essentials of Good Documentation for Local Nutrition Committees” was shared by Mr. Daniel Salunga, Nutrition Officer II, Nutrition Surveillance Division, National Nutrition Council and managed by Ms. Gessa Marie Ramos, Nutrition Officer I of Alaminos City, Pangasinan. It is important that every Nutrition Committees knows how to prepare good documentation for their different activities.
Nowadays, one of the issues we have is food security. The fifth session entitled Vegetable production amid COVID-19 encouraged everyone to establish a backyard garden to ensure that every family will have readily available sources of food. This session was discussed by Mr. David John Rondal, Agriculturist II of High-Value Crop Development Program, Department of Agriculture Field Office I and moderated by Ms. Ana Mariel Lopez-Visperas, CNAO of Dagupan City, Pangasinan.
The last topic Strengthening of Local Nutrition Action through Integration: Key policies of local nutrition planning was presented by OIC Kendall Pilgrim Gatan of the National Nutrition Council Region 1 and facilitated by Mr. Mark Bryan Corpuz, MNAO, San Esteban, Ilocos Sur. This session guided the local nutrition committees on how to prepare a good nutrition plan.
COVID-19 pandemic is a great challenge for everyone. But as we face this problem, we become stronger and find ways on how to cope up with the situation./CPF
