The “Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) Pro Virtual Orientation” for Cavite Province was finally completed last March 15. It was the third of the series this month, following the previous MELLPI Pro orientations in Laguna and Batangas Province.
The virtual orientation was successfully conducted through the dynamic leadership of RNPC Carina Santiago, her NNC Calabarzon staff, in partnership with the Provincial Nutrition Action Office (PNAO) of Cavite Province.
Coordination with respective LGUs was made easy, through the diligent management of Cavite PNAO, Angeles Peñalba, together with her hard-working staff.
The 21 LGus who participated in the orientation are: Alfonso, Amadeo, Carmona, Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Indang, Kawit, Magallanes, Maragondon, Mendez, Naic, Noveleta, Rosario, Silang, Tanza, Ternate, Bacoor City, Dasmariñas City, General Trias City, Imus City and Tagaytay City.
During the orientation, special acknowledgement was given to the following members of the Provincial Nutrition Committee: Provincial Cooperative, Livelihood and Entrepreneurial Development Office (PCLEDO), Provincial Health Office (PHO), Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office (PSWDO), Provincial Information and Communication Affairs Department (PICAD) and the Provincial Nutrition Action Office (PNAO).
The program flow of the orientation includes: 1) Preliminaries (“Prayer,” “Welcome Message from RNPC Carina Santiago” and “Message/Acknowledgement of Participants by PNAO Angeles Peñalba”); 2) The overview of the MELLPI Pro; 3) MELLPI PRO during COVID19; 4) Schedule of Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET); 5) MELLPI PRO Forms (for LGUs and Local Nutrition Focal Points (LNFP); 6) Open Forum.
The Cavite Province LGUs and the NNC-CaLaBaRZon Team agreed that the actual conduct of the MELLPI Pro in Cavite Province will be rescheduled from May to June this year, in order to prepare all necessary documents for evaluation. It will also give the respective LGUs more time to finish other activities which were scheduled earlier.
In the case of Imus City LGUs, they expressed their readiness for the scheduled MELLPI Pro in May.
Before the orientation, NNC-CaLaBaRZon Team emailed the “MELLPI Pro Tools” to LGUs. Subsequently, power point presentations were requested to allow the LGUs to conduct the orientation in their respective Local Nutrition Committee (Provincial/City/Municipal/Barangay Level).
Leonavie Baylen, CNAO of General Trias City, Cavite, gave his impressions on the orientation. He said, “It was challenging to comply and prepare all the documents needed for MELLPI Pro. I realized that the nutrition programs are so extensive. The MELLPI Pro forms also reminded us that we should exert a lot of effort in implementing the standards and necessary nutrition programs.”
With the continuous promotion of MELLPI Pro, it is expected that the nutrition programs in the Calabarzon region will not only be enhanced, but also greatly improve the nutritional status of the most vulnerable members of the community in its LGUs.
By: Edward C. Paglinawan
