TUGUEGARAO CITY, CAGAYAN- The National Nutrition Council Region 02 through the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) concluded its Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI-Pro) for evaluation year 2021 during the deliberation last 23 September 2021.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC), the country’s policy- making body on nutrition, is mandated among others, to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the country’s food and nutrition program, the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN).
Towards this mandate, NNC together with members of the Regional Nutrition Committee annually conducts the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI). Likewise, in conjunction with the MELLPI, NNC also evaluates the performance of the Local Nutrition Focal Points (LNFPs) including our Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs), Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs), and local Nutrition Program Coordinators (NPCs).
However, due to COVID-19 pandemic the evaluation was suspended in 2020 but with the vaccinations and strict adhering to health protocols, the evaluation for 2019 year of implementation pushed through this year through face-to-face and online evaluation processes.
This year, RNET was chaired by Mr. Oliver Baccay of Philippine Information Agency, co-chaired by Mr. Ritchie Rivera of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and its members were Ms. Maria Gisela M. Lonzaga, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator-NNC R02, Mr. Edzell Arcinue, Nutrition Officer III, Mr. John Nestor Ballad, Nutrition Officer II and Ms. Frances Vea Valdez, Nutrition Officer II.
This year will be the second year that the RNET is using the new monitoring and evaluation tool and process, the MELLPI PRO.
In 2019, the National and Regional Evaluation Team launched the use of the enhanced version of MELLPI called MELLPI Pro. The MELLPI Pro is used to monitor and evaluate performance of local government units at all levels and local nutrition focal points like the Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Nutrition Action Officers and District/City /Municipal Nutrition Program Coordinator.
In Region II, all the provinces and cities are already recipients of Nutrition Honor Award (NHA), the highest nutrition award and there are no entries for search for the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition. Hence, RNET R02 focused their evaluation to local nutrition focal points.
“With all the Local Nutrition Focal Points that we have evaluated, I am very happy that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, all of them are active and ensure that nutrition and nutrition related programs and projects are well implemented in their localities,” shared by RNPC Maria Gisela M. Lonzaga.
“All of the LNFPs that are declared are considered the best and most deserving of the awards,” happily added by Mr. Baccay, RNET-Team Leader.
Conferment for the awards is tentatively set on November 2021 during the Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.### John Nestor Ballad
