Photo on the left shows participants reviewing LGUs' accomplishments vis-a-vis RPAN targets and right photo shows Dr. Janet Miclat,
Cluster Head of the Family Health Cluster of DOH Central Luzon Center for Health Development, welcoming and thanking participants
to the 2-day PIR.
Year 2020 marks the mid-term review (MTR) and Updating of the Central Luzon Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (CL RPAN). The MTR is a preparation for the next three years of implementation of the RPAN, 2019-2022 which commenced with the two-day Program Implementation Review (PIR) among the Provincial/City Nutrition Action Officers (P/CNAOs) and District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators (D/CNPCs) 2019-2022.
Held on 11-12 March 2020 at the Otel Pampanga, Lazatin Boulevard, Dolores City of San Fernando, Pampanga, the PIR was aimed at 1) reviewing the extent the targets in the CL RPAN Results Framework have been accomplished; and 2) identifying strategies and programs to improve implementation in the remaining two years of RPAN implementation.
Twenty-two participants from five (5) out of 7 provinces, namely Aurora, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales; and eight (8) out of 14 cities (Balanga, San Jose del Monte, Gapan, San Jose, Angeles, Mabalacat, San Fernando, and Tarlac) in Central Luzon participated in the PIR.
Members of the RTWG for Nutrition from Department of Health Central Luzon Center for Health Development, Department of Education (DepEd); National Economic and Development Authority, and the National Nutrition Council provided technical support.
The presentation of results of the MTR of PPAN, 2017-2022, Local Nutrition Committee Functionality Monitoring, 2019 Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) Pro, 2019 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus and Updates on the RPAN, 2019-2020, provided the participants a backdrop of the current nutrition situation in Central Luzon.
Results of the MTR of the PPAN and results of the OPT Plus in Central Luzon showed similar decreasing trend in stunting among 0-59 months old children. However, comparison of the results of 2018 and 2019 OPT plus showed increased in the prevalence of wasting, underweight, overweight and obesity among the 0-59 months children in Central Luzon.
Workshop 1 allowed each province and city to review their accomplishments vis-à-vis RPAN targets and to identify bottlenecks and challenges.
The review of programs implemented by the LGUs accomplishments showed that majority of the nutrition specific programs identified in the CL RPAN, although in varying degree, are in placed such as the 1) Infant and Young Child Feeding; 2) dietary supplementation among day care children and school children; 3) micronutrient supplementation particularly vitamin A supplementation among 24-59 months old children and giving of iron folic-acid among women of reproductive age; 4) overweight and obesity management and prevention program; 5) mandatory food fortification, 6) Philippine integrated management of acute malnutrition; and 7) nutrition in emergencies; 8) nutrition promotion for behavior change.
Nutrition sensitive programs included activities such as gulayan sa paaralan, vegetable gardening in barangays, family planning program, pre-marriage counseling, livelihood programs in partnership with women’s organization, food processing and food demonstration for livelihood, and mainstreaming nutrition programs in special or unique programs of the LCE.
Enabling programs adopted by the LGUs were along strengthening and ensuring functionality of local nutrition committees, enlistment of local chief executive as nutrition champions and adoption of national laws and policies in the barangays.
Availability of human resources, accessibility to data base, strong partnership with stakeholders and key national agencies like the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the DepEd, motivated and dedicated Barangay Nutrition Scholars and Barangay Health Workers and other barangay volunteers, provision of capacity building, availability of logistics and budget for nutrition, tapping GAD-fund as source of nutrition fund, regular conduct of monitoring and evaluation, cooperation of barangay officials and beneficiaries, supportive LCEs, and full implementation of policies were among the facilitating factors identified by the participants.
Challenges in implementing the RPAN programs were limited manpower, supplies, and logistics support; under reporting or quality of data; non participation in nutrition education lectures by mothers and adolescent health and development program; some programs are not sustained i.e. IYCF, livelihood programs; low accomplishment on micronutrient supplementation program; low impact of weight reduction program; lack of support from LCEs in the implementation program and some mandated policies; lack of supply and near expiry commodities, among others.
Strategies and programs that were identified to improve implementation of the RPAN 2019-2022 include mainstreaming nutrition in Gender and Development, develop monitoring and impact assessment tool for nutrition sensitive programs, incentivized , home-based feeding program, among others.
As part of the ways forward, the 13 LGUs present were encouraged to convene their respective LNCs and conduct similar PIR to generate more in-depth analysis in terms of program implementation and lobby for support of national and regional-level policy-makers such as the Regional Development Council (RDC) and RDC-Sub Committee on Social Development on influencing their LCEs to prioritize nutrition.
The PIR was co-organized by the DOH CL CHD and NNC-Region III and funded by the DOH.
Author:
NO III Angelita M. Pasos
19 March 2020
