The Regional Nutrition Forum for developmental partners, international and non-government organizations, and local organizations and sectoral groups brought together 22 Regional Nutrition Committee and Nutrition Cluster, 8 Local Government Units (LGUs), 3 from the Business Sector, 1 form the Academe, 1 from the Media partners and 13 International and Local Nutrition Partners on 7 April 2015 at the Orotel Hotel, City of San Fernando, Pampanga.
The newly assigned Assistant Regional Director, Dr. Louella Hipe Estember welcomed the participants and posed the following challenges in her Opening Message: make a difference in the lives of the Filipinos especially in times of calamities; address the basic and cross-cutting needs of the calamity-affected population; and prioritize nutrition needs to overcome impact of calamities.
To substantiate the significance of conducting the forum, the updated Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition was presented to specify the recommendations to reach the Medium Term Development Goals; address the double-bladed nutrition problem; integrate Nutrition into the Annual Investment Plan and recognize the participation and involvement of all sectors including the important role of the LGUs.
The following principles were derived from the presentation of the selected developmental partners on their mandates and best practices. 1) The success of any program or project in a community depends upon the priorities of the present political leader 2) Put nutrition among the priorities; at the Center of Philippine Development 3) Learning from other’s experiences 5) Investment on behaviour change with long-term impact 4) Investment on Nutrition results to long-term development 5) Advocacy, Coordination, Collaboration, Partnership, Coalition, Focus on specific groups – Children, Pregnant & Lactating Mothers, teenage pregnant, community based 6) Nutrition as a Human Right 7) Consider community/children perspective.
Accomplishments that were generated during the workshop were primarily on policy advocacy and dissemination, service delivery, promotion of the Nutrition Guidelines, development of appropriate and innovative strategies including researches, monitoring and evaluation to establish the impact and outcome of programs and projects on Nutrition.
As a way forward, selected recommendations were raised by the participants such as to call NGOs to provide list of their field of engagements and areas of operation; support health and nutrition interventions thru “Gulayan sa BarangayatPaaralan”; hold a semestral meeting (3rdweek of the semester); conduct NGO Forum on Nutrition; forge MOA signing with all stakeholders; share or link program with Monitoring and Evaluation component; document Best Practices; work in convergence, continue collaboration and coordination; hold a semestral meeting; and invite additional and capacitate partners.
The activity culminated through reading the Pledge of Commitment to Protect, Promote, and Support Direct Nutrition and Nutrition Sensitive Interventions for Improving Population’s Access to Quality Nutrition Services.
