The City Nutrition Committee of Alaminos City together with the 43 Barangay Captains convened for its 1st City Nutrition Committee Meeting on March 25, 2013 at Suki Hall Alaminos City purposely to re-activate the Nutrition Committee as well as the Barangay Nutrition Committees in the area. Likewise, it was the time to lobby for the deployment of Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) in every barangay.
To set the tone for the meeting and to have a real picture of the city nutrition situation, Ms. Rose Lulu P. Pagaduan, Nutrition Officer III of the National Nutrition Council presented it while Ms. Ma. Eileen B. Blanco, Nutrition Program Coordinator discussed the Overview of the Local Nutrition Committee as well as the roles and responsibilities for its sector.
SP Jan Marionne R. Fontelera, Chairman on Health and Sanitation said that sectoral actions can have a better impact when coordinated and integrated through a mechanism that will bring these sectors together for shared decision-making and responsibility on matters related to nutrition improvement.
Furthermore, NPC Blanco reiterated that the local Nutrition Committee plays a vital role in addressing hunger and malnutrition in the locality and emphasized on the following functions:
Prepare a nutrition action plan complementary to and integrated with other plans of the LGU and higher level plans;
Advocate the adoption and financing of the plan;
Coordinate nutrition and nutrition-related activities of member agencies and other agencies;
Monitor nutrition and related activities of member agencies and other agencies involved in the nutrition program;
Mobilize resources to ensure that the plan is implemented.
The issue on the deployment of at least one BNS in every barangay was finally resolved with the commitment of the Barangay Captains as Chairman of the Barangay Nutrition Committees to designate a BNS and to support the implementation of the nutrition programs in their respective barangays.
In closing, CNAO Virginia H. Francisco thanked the body for the overwhelming attendance and challenged the group to make Alaminos City a well-nourished and productive community.
