10 April 2014 – 51 Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs) and 22 representatives from the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon gathered at the Makati Palace Hotel for the first Meeting and General Assembly of the Nutrition Action Officers Association of the Philippines (NAOPA) – Calabarzon Chapter. The meeting was comprised of discussions on the various issues and concerns of the NAOPA including the organizational concerns and its Constitution and By-Laws, updates on NNC programs and activities, and a lecture on Nutrition Management in Emergencies.

Ms. Carina Z. Santiago, the NNC IV-A regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, and the NAOPA – Calabarzon Chapter President, and Laguna Provincial Nutrition Action Officer (PNAO) Ms. Teresita S. Silo presided the discussions during the meeting. Morever, Ms. Carmelita Abalos, the NAOPA National President, and Mandaluyong City Nutrition Action Ofiicer (CNAO) delivered updates regarding the association and its activities. Clarifications on the association’s structure and regulations were done through an interactive forum among the NAOs.

The updates on NNC programs and activities intended to prompt the NAOs in being effective and efficient in their work, not only in planning and implementing nutrition programs, as well as in their monitoring and evaluation, and documentation. On the other hand, the lecture on Nutrition Management in Emergencies was to equip the NAOs with knowledge on nutrition activities in times of disasters.

The meeting gave chance for the NAOs to meet their counterparts in other provinces. The time to mingle with each other was not too long but it gave them a head start on being acquainted with each other.