March 26, 2021, San Fernando City- The National Nutrition Council Region 1 successfully held the MELLPI Pro Orientation via zoom attended by 128 members of the local and regional nutrition evaluation team (RNET).
The said orientation aims to refresh all the participants in the conduct of this year’s nutrition evaluation and to disseminate the supplemental guidelines in the conduct of MELLPI pro in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In his opening message, OIC-Nutrition Program Coordinator Kendall Pilgrim Gatan said that due to pandemic, the conduct of MELLPI Pro and other assessment and monitoring activities were suspended in 2020 and most program implementations are affected and realigned to address all the possible effects of COVID-19 pandemic to the health and nutrition situation.
“One of the challenges we are facing is the possible increase in the malnutrition rate not only the undernutrition but also the overnutrition among all age group due to limitation of mobility, but we are still optimistic that the effects could be minimal because of the timely actions of the local government” he added.
The highlight of the activity includes the presentation of the guidelines in the context of COVID-19 pandemic by Ms. Christie Ferino followed by the tool navigation for LGUs and for Local Nutrition Focal Points by Ms. Wylibeth Lumpias and Ms. Helen Joy Bugaling, respectively.
All LGUs and Nutrition Focal Points are encouraged to participate in the conduct of 2021 MELLPI Pro not only for recognition and awards purposes but rather to determine the strengths, challenges and gaps in the implementation of their nutrition programs incompliance to such nutrition standards.
MELLPI has long been used in the monitoring and evaluating the local nutrition programs of LGUS and was retooled and enhanced as MELLPI Pro to comply with much developments in nutrition policies and programs and in the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition and also aims to guide policy and decision-makers in enhancing delivery of nutrition services to produce more impact in addressing all forms of malnutrition. /CPF
