“Challenge accepted as priority area of region 02 in the implementation of PPAN 2017-2022,” says Honorable Junie E. Cua, governor and provincial nutrition committee chair- Province of Quirino, as he signed the the pledge of commitment on the Reduction/Elimination of Malnutrition in the province of Quirino during the Local Government Units Mobilization Forum on Nutrition on 31 August at DISADECO Function Hall, Diffun, Quirino.

The LGUs Mobilization forum on nutrition aims to strengthen and to encourage local leaders to invest more on nutrition programs and projects to combat malnutrition in the country. The National Nutrition Council has identified the top 36 priority areas, one of which is Quirino province, in the implementation of Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022, country’s blueprint in nutrition.

The province was chosen because of its high prevalence of stunting, a child is short for his age and an irrevocable type of malnutrition, as reported in the Department of Science and Technology- Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) 2015 National Nutrition Survey. The province also yielded an increase in its overweight and obesity prevalence causing it to experience double burden of malnutrition.

Governor Cua positively accepted the challenge and encouraged Local Chief Executives to invest more on nutrition program. " Nutrition program is a very important program of every government. We will continue to invest on our nutrition programs and I encourage all our LCEs to prioritize nutrition in your respective offices. Let's invest on the health and nutrition of our constituents, let's us invest more on our nutrition programs and reduce or best eliminate stunting in our province,” he said.

As part of the forum, series of technical presentation were presented. Ms. Clavelina Tolbe, nutritionist dietician IV-Province of Quirino, discussed the 2016 Nutrition Situation in the province of Quirino while Mr. John Nestor Ballad, nutrition officer II, shared DOST-FNRI 2015 National Nutrition Survey Results. Ms. Maria Gisela M. Lonzaga, OIC-nutrition program coordinator, discussed the 2017-2022 Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN 2017-2022).

In her opening remarks, OIC Lonzaga expressed her gratitude for the positive acceptance of Governor Cua, region 02’s priority area for PPAN 2017-2022 implementation. “The government has formulated the 2017-2022 Philippine Plan of Action For Nutrition and the province of Quirino was identified as one of the 36 priority provinces in the country for LGU mobilization for nutrition improvement. We would like you to draw your attention on addressing the problem of malnutrition in the province and commit to invest on nutrition. Let us work together to achieve healthy and productive Quirinians,” she exclaimed.
Lastly, Vice Governor May Garnace-Calauan, LCEs, Vice Mayors, Local legislators, LNAOs, LNC members and other nutrition workers and stakeholders also signed in the pledge of commitment to the Reduction/Elimination of Malnutrition in the province of Quirino.###jnlb