SAN FERNANDO CITY, Sept. 11 (Anne Hazel Flores, PIA-1 ) – The Regional Development Council in the Ilocos (RDC-1) approved the resolution enjoining all local government units (LGUs) to finalize their respective local nutrition action plans (LNAP).
During the 2nd Quarter Full-Council Meeting of the RDC-1 on Aug. 26, the body approved RDC-1 Resolution No. 75, series of 2020 proposed by the regional Social Development Committee (SocDev Comm) which is aimed to address the effects of health and nutrition situation in the communities due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.
The said resolution also directs LGUs to strengthen the implementation by integrating nutrition programs, projects and activities in their Annual Investment Program for 2021-2022.
According to the data of the National Nutrition Council in the Ilocos (NNC-1), the results of the Operation Timbang Plus (OPT+) conducted by the LGUs in the region showed an increase in malnutrition prevalence in all indicators from 2018 to 2019.
On the said period, an increase of 0.98 percent in the underweight cases and a 0.55 percent increase for wasting cases was reported.
In addition, stunting also increased from 5.04 percent to 6.74 percent while a overweight cases increased from 2.61 percent to 3.70 percent was recorded.
NNC-1 said that malnutrition and other co-morbidities are considered risks for complications in people with COVID-19 if the immune system is compromised, especially to pregnant, postpartum and/or lactating women, adolescent girls, and the elderly.
“Our committee hopes that through the adoption and approval of this resolution, the support of our LGUs to decrease malnutrition rate in the region will materialize,” said Department of Education Regional Director Tolentino G. Aquino, also SocDev Comm chairperson, during the meeting.
“The recommendations to approve the resolution is based on the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 which is an integral part of the Philippine Development Plan,” Aquino added.
He said that the PPAN which consists of program and projects serves as a framework for actions that would be undertaken at all levels to address nutritional problems that causes deprivation of Filipinos to their right to food and good nutrition.
Moreover, the PPAN was already adopted by the RDC-1 through Resolution No. 49, series of 2017 while the Department of the Interior and Local Government Memorandum Circular 2018-42 directs all LGUs to prioritize allocation of funds aligned to nutrition programs.
“Our agency appeals to our LGUs to assist us and comply to the said resolution for us to prevent the worsening or deterioration in the nutritional status of the population, especially among young children, pregnant and lactating women, elderlies and persons with disabilities," said NNC-1 officer-in-charge Kendal Pilgrim Gatan.
The LGUs shall submit their finalized LNAPs with approved funding and forward their semester accomplishment reports to NNC-1 through the DILG Field Offices for monitoring and database every January and June after each semester. (JCR/JPD/AHFF, PIA1)
