The Regional Development Council (RDC) MIMAROPA, chaired by Romblon Province Governor Jose R. Riano, approved on Friday, 5 March 2021, the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) Resolution No. 2, s. 2020, which seeks to enjoin all local government units (LGUs) to strengthen the integration of nutrition-related programs and projects and scale-up nutrition integration in their 2021-2022 annual investment plans (AIP) to address the current nutritional problems and the possible effects of COVID-19 pandemic in the health and nutrition situation.
The presentation of the RNC Resolution was part of the agenda of the First Quarter Regional Development Council (RDC) Full Council Meeting held via Zoom application, with National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) as Secretariat. The online meeting was attended by approximately 110 participants representing various regional government agencies, local government units, and development partners.
Regional Social Development Committee Marvi Trudeau discussed the Resolution’s salient points, highlighting the need to pursue the effort in scaling up nutrition actions during the remaining years of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022 implementation, especially since results from National Nutrition Surveys and the Operation Timbang Plus showed a minimal decrease in malnutrition prevalence in all indicators for the past two years.
The RNC Resolution is also a response to the call for action of the National Nutrition Cluster per Advisories released in March 2020, to provide guidelines on LGU Nutrition Actions Relative to COVID-19, recognizing that the pandemic may cause worsening or deterioration in the nutritional status of the population especially among young children, pregnant and lactating women, elderlies, and persons with disabilities. As such, delivery of nutrition services should be made available to protect people of all ages, especially the vulnerable groups, especially on the first 1000 days of life as a strategic thrust of the PPAN 2017-2022.
The approval of the RNC Resolution anticipates LGUs’ adaption through passing of local issuances or ordinances in support of the policy through appropriate coordination and funding. The National Nutrition Council MIMAROPA Secretariat will be in-charge for monitoring and ensuring the full implementation of the Resolution in the Region.
(MCLCC)
Copies of reference documents can be found on the following links: https://www.nnc.gov.ph/component/phocadownload/category/94
