As the world continue to face the deadly pandemic, COVID-19, majority of people shifted online for their everyday interactions and transactions. This also applies for various industries which is making use of the convenience and easy accessibility of the internet to continue with their operations, thus, majority of companies and organizations, both private and government, shifting to work-from-home schemes for the time-being. With this shift to work-from-head, government agencies also started organizing meetings and webinars of sorts using the countless available platforms online like Zoom, Google Meets, Messenger, etc, as mass gatherings and face-to-face interaction are strictly prohibited. These applications were of huge help in organizing such virtual meetings as information exchange and dissemination is vital during this time. Work-from-home schemes, webinars, and virtual meetings filed our days instead of the usual day in the office, which has been dubbed as “the new normal.”

With this transition to using the internet as the main source of communication during this pandemic, the National Nutrition Council Region III also made it a point to organize events online. Starting with the staff familiarizing with the web-based applications to be used for virtual meetings, to holding virtual meetings with various nutrition-federated groups such as the Central Luzon Advocates and Regional Nutrition Information Network (CLARINET) and the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC). Last 14 May 2020, NNC-Region III successfully convened the 1^st Quarter Meeting of the Regional Nutrition Cluster (RNC) via Google Meets. The meeting was presided by the Chair of the committee, Regional Director Cesar C. Cassion, MD, MPH, CSEE, CESO IV  of the Department of Health-Central Luzon Center for Health Development (DOH-CL CHD). During the meeting, the NNC-Region III staff presented the following topics to the RNC members:

• Pre-COVID 19 Nutrition Situation;
• Gaps and Needs of Nutrition Supplies;
• Regional Nutrition Cluster Initiatives and Response;
• Good practices and challenges;
• Executive Order No. 51 or Milk Code and its Revised IRR;
• Actions requested from the RNC member agencies; and
• Guidelines on the “Be Fit and Stronger Challenge.”

The 1^st Quarter Meeting gave way for the RNC member agencies to share their accomplishments and their good practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), as a partner of the Department of Agriculture (DA), is continuously studying the consequences in terms of food security in the country. They also issued a memo regarding issuance of food passes; facilitated local transport of fish harvest; provided relief operation (specifically 91 frozen packs; 40 thousand sardines distributed to fisherfolk, frozen chicken, bacon and 900 kilos of rice to indigenous people (IPs) of Casiguran, Aurora); produced 2.9 million fingerlings and implemented the “Balik-Sigla Ilog” to fisherfolk; and continuous monitoring of prices and production of fish to make sure there is enough supply up to 90 days. BFAR also highlighted their accomplishment as the number one region in aquaculture in the country.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) shared to the committee that before the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was implemented in  various parts of Luzon, they were able to establish a Health and Wellness Committee, which includes a physical activity program for the employees every week. The CSC also mentioned that their staff were given one week leave with pay to make way for their annual physical examination, with the staff receiving Php2,500.00 welfare fund each, as well as continuous monitoring of employees with non-communicable diseases.

The Commision on Population or PopCom meanwhile, were able to continue with their online and social media promotion on responsible parenthood, facilitated online trainings on lactation of amenorrhea in support to the breastfeeding program, home management of preparation of nutritious foods for families, among others.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) continued monitoring the situation during the ECQ. They also commended LCEs and partner agencies in the provision of halal food packs to cater to our Muslim brothers and sisters, recognized Local Government Units (LGUs) that provide most focused strategies, issued “okay” cards to agencies and LGUs adhering to “right to food” e.g. Mabalacat City for giving NutriPACK to pregnant and lactating mothers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA), on one hand, continued with its “Agri-caravan” which consisted of livestock, fisheries, and distribution of assorted vegetable seeds, as well as their continuous provision of subsidy to farmers, particularly those affected by rice tarification, as well as provision of 1-hectare land to farmers.

On the other hand, the Department of Education (DepEd) shared that they are continuing the Supplementary Feeding and Milk Feeding Programs. They also assured the committee that they will continue in crafting guidelines to implement dry ration feeding, and will adopt effective strategies.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) proposed to have joint program with the DA on establishment of garden or nurseries, while the  Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shared updates on the declaration of ECQ, Operation Center regarding multi-holder stakeholder and unhampered operation of essentials. DILG also facilitated the Regional IATF extension of MCQ, and continued their support to health and wellness program of employees.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) highlighted the success of their project to provide cooked meals to the front-liners in various hospitals within the region. 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) mentioned that they are continuously monitoring the price situation in the region weekly, as well as the state of the food manufacturers, supermarkets, and stores. They also expressed their support to mobile market clients, to unhampered flow of services and supplies. DTI also issued a policy regarding mall operations and established a “Pautang Program” called P3, also known as the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Asenso.

The NBI or the National Bureau of Investigation, on one hand, reported their continuous response to violations of the Bayanihan Act, monitoring of the health of their employees who failed to report for work, as well as their existing responsibility as law enforcers.

On the other hand, the Philippine National Police shared their efforts in continuously manning of check points and choke points, provision of relief goods worth Php53,975,000.00 to 98,130 families, provision of 300 tasty bread to 300 families, continuous operation updates on their social media, and the promotion of the fitness program among front-liners.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) mentioned their efforts in information dissemination on COVID 19 related matters reminding public to improve resistance via various forms e.g. text blasts, social media, chat groups. They also led a relief drive with #HatidMalasakit to 700 indigents of Central Luzon and extended assistance to victims of Taal Volcano eruption, and they also continued to encourage non-government agencies (NGAs) to continue capitalizing PIA platform.

The Central Luzon Association of Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Inc. (CLABI) highlighted their efforts in the barangay level such as their assistance to various LGUs in cooking, food preparation, food pack distribution, and manning the check point areas, as well as monitoring person-under-monitoring (PUM) and person-under-investigation (PUI). They also shared their roles as members of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team. Lastly, the  National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shared that they will lead in the preparation of rehabilitation and recovery plan and requested agencies their comments, inputs, and suggestion regarding this matter.

With numerous efforts being done and facilitated by the CL-RNC, the public can be assured that agencies in Central Luzon are continuously taking action to help the people during this pandemic and that the agencies especially member agencies of the RNC will never fail in serving and putting its people first before anything else.

As the world continue to face the deadly pandemic, COVID-19, majority of people shifted online for their everyday interactions and transactions. This also applies for various industries which is making use of the convenience and easy accessibility of the internet to continue with their operations, thus, majority of companies and organizations, both private and government, shifting to work-from-home schemes for the time-being. With this shift to work-from-head, government agencies also started organizing meetings and webinars of sorts using the countless available platforms online like Zoom, Google Meets, Messenger, etc, as mass gatherings and face-to-face interaction are strictly prohibited. These applications were of huge help in organizing such virtual meetings as information exchange and dissemination is vital during this time. Work-from-home schemes, webinars, and virtual meetings filed our days instead of the usual day in the office, which has been dubbed as “the new normal."

With this transition to using the internet as the main source of communication during this pandemic, the National Nutrition Council Region III also made it a point to organize events online. Starting with the staff familiarizing with the web-based applications to be used for virtual meetings, to holding virtual meetings with various nutrition-federated groups such as the Central Luzon Advocates and Regional Nutrition Information Network (CLARINET) and the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC). Last 14 May 2020, NNC-Region III successfully convened the 1^st Quarter Meeting of the Regional Nutrition Cluster (RNC) via Google Meets. The meeting was presided by the Chair of the committee, Regional Director Cesar C. Cassion, MD, MPH, CSEE, CESO IV  of the Department of Health-Central Luzon Center for Health Development (DOH-CL CHD). During the meeting, the NNC-Region III staff presented the following topics to the RNC members:

• Pre-COVID 19 Nutrition Situation;
• Gaps and Needs of Nutrition Supplies;
• Regional Nutrition Cluster Initiatives and Response;
• Good practices and challenges;
• Executive Order No. 51 or Milk Code and its Revised IRR;
• Actions requested from the RNC member agencies; and
• Guidelines on the “Be Fit and Stronger Challenge.”

The 1^st Quarter Meeting gave way for the RNC member agencies to share their accomplishments and their good practices during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), as a partner of the Department of Agriculture (DA), is continuously studying the consequences in terms of food security in the country. They also issued a memo regarding issuance of food passes; facilitated local transport of fish harvest; provided relief operation (specifically 91 frozen packs; 40 thousand sardines distributed to fisherfolk, frozen chicken, bacon and 900 kilos of rice to indigenous people (IPs) of Casiguran, Aurora); produced 2.9 million fingerlings and implemented the “Balik-Sigla Ilog” to fisherfolk; and continuous monitoring of prices and production of fish to make sure there is enough supply up to 90 days. BFAR also highlighted their accomplishment as the number one region in aquaculture in the country.

The Civil Service Commission (CSC) shared to the committee that before the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) was implemented in  various parts of Luzon, they were able to establish a Health and Wellness Committee, which includes a physical activity program for the employees every week. The CSC also mentioned that their staff were given one week leave with pay to make way for their annual physical examination, with the staff receiving Php2,500.00 welfare fund each, as well as continuous monitoring of employees with non-communicable diseases.

The Commision on Population or PopCom meanwhile, were able to continue with their online and social media promotion on responsible parenthood, facilitated online trainings on lactation of amenorrhea in support to the breastfeeding program, home management of preparation of nutritious foods for families, among others.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) continued monitoring the situation during the ECQ. They also commended LCEs and partner agencies in the provision of halal food packs to cater to our Muslim brothers and sisters, recognized Local Government Units (LGUs) that provide most focused strategies, issued “okay” cards to agencies and LGUs adhering to “right to food” e.g. Mabalacat City for giving NutriPACK to pregnant and lactating mothers.

The Department of Agriculture (DA), on one hand, continued with its “Agri-caravan” which consisted of livestock, fisheries, and distribution of assorted vegetable seeds, as well as their continuous provision of subsidy to farmers, particularly those affected by rice tarification, as well as provision of 1-hectare land to farmers.

On the other hand, the Department of Education (DepEd) shared that they are continuing the Supplementary Feeding and Milk Feeding Programs. They also assured the committee that they will continue in crafting guidelines to implement dry ration feeding, and will adopt effective strategies.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) proposed to have joint program with the DA on establishment of garden or nurseries, while the  Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shared updates on the declaration of ECQ, Operation Center regarding multi-holder stakeholder and unhampered operation of essentials. DILG also facilitated the Regional IATF extension of MCQ, and continued their support to health and wellness program of employees.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) highlighted the success of their project to provide cooked meals to the front-liners in various hospitals within the region. 

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) mentioned that they are continuously monitoring the price situation in the region weekly, as well as the state of the food manufacturers, supermarkets, and stores. They also expressed their support to mobile market clients, to unhampered flow of services and supplies. DTI also issued a policy regarding mall operations and established a “Pautang Program” called P3, also known as the Pondo sa Pagbabago at Asenso.

The NBI or the National Bureau of Investigation, on one hand, reported their continuous response to violations of the Bayanihan Act, monitoring of the health of their employees who failed to report for work, as well as their existing responsibility as law enforcers.

On the other hand, the Philippine National Police shared their efforts in continuously manning of check points and choke points, provision of relief goods worth Php53,975,000.00 to 98,130 families, provision of 300 tasty bread to 300 families, continuous operation updates on their social media, and the promotion of the fitness program among front-liners.

The Philippine Information Agency (PIA) mentioned their efforts in information dissemination on COVID 19 related matters reminding public to improve resistance via various forms e.g. text blasts, social media, chat groups. They also led a relief drive with #HatidMalasakit to 700 indigents of Central Luzon and extended assistance to victims of Taal Volcano eruption, and they also continued to encourage non-government agencies (NGAs) to continue capitalizing PIA platform.

The Central Luzon Association of Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Inc. (CLABI) highlighted their efforts in the barangay level such as their assistance to various LGUs in cooking, food preparation, food pack distribution, and manning the check point areas, as well as monitoring person-under-monitoring (PUM) and person-under-investigation (PUI). They also shared their roles as members of the Barangay Health Emergency Response Team. Lastly, the  National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shared that they will lead in the preparation of rehabilitation and recovery plan and requested agencies their comments, inputs, and suggestion regarding this matter.

With numerous efforts being done and facilitated by the CL-RNC, the public can be assured that agencies in Central Luzon are continuously taking action to help the people during this pandemic and that the agencies especially member agencies of the RNC will never fail in serving and putting its people first before anything else.

Author:

Antonette Gail D. Garcia

Nutrition Officer I