On 17 December 2020, the Regional Nutrition Council (RNC) of Region 02 passes the RNC Resolution No. 2 – “Enjoining All Local Government Units to Strengthen the Integration of Nutrition Programs, Projects, and Activities in their 2021-2022 Annual Investment Programs to Prevent Worsening of Nutrition Situation Amid COVID-19 Pandemic” and RNC Resolution No. 3 – “A Resolution Endorsing and Supporting the Utilization of Enhanced Nutribun for Supplementary Feeding” during the 4th Quarter RNC Meeting, s. 2020. Both resolutions aim to strengthen nutrition programs and policies to prevent worsening of malnutrition amid the COVID-19 pandemic and other hazards and threats to the nutritional status of the vulnerable groups including pregnant and lactating women, preschool children, persons with disabilities, indigenous people, and other members of the marginalized sectors.
RNC Resolution No. 2 aims to “enjoin all local government units to strengthen the integration of nutrition programs, projects, and activities in their 2021-2022 annual investment programs to prevent worsening of nutrition situation amid COVID-19 pandemic by ensuring continuous delivery of nutrition services, especially for the vulnerable groups”. The resolution further aims to ensure that the nutrition status of affected population especially the most vulnerable groups will not worsen or deteriorate due to the impact of COVID-19 pandemic through strengthening nutrition programs, projects, and activities at all levels since malnutrition and other comorbidities are contributing factors for complications in people with COVID-19 if the immune system is compromised.
RNC Resolution No. 3 is part of the commitment of the NNC and the RNC to support the Enhanced Nutribun in the region through policies and providing technical assistance. The resolution endorses and supports the utilization of Enhanced Nutribun in the Dietary Supplementation of Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development and Local Government Units for day care children, beneficiaries of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), 6-23 months old children and pregnant women. It also specifies the roles of key implementers in the region such as DOST, DSWD, DepEd, NNC and the LGUs in the implementation of the resolution.
RNC is tasked to formulate policies and directions for nutrition program implementation at the regional and local level among other functions. - EMArcinue
