National Nutrition Council MIMAROPA successfully conducted the Nutrition Advocacy Stakeholders’ Forum for MIMAROPA Local Chief Executives and Nutrition Action Officers on 16 September 2021 via Zoom platform attended by more than 100 participants composed of Governors, Vice Governors, Mayors, Vice Mayors, Committee on Health Chairpersons, Nutrition Action Officers and their representatives.
NNC MIMAROPA Nutrition Program Coordinator Ma. Eileen Blanco lobbied nutrition to the LCEs as an investment for human capital development. LCEs can make a difference in ending all forms of malnutrition through service delivery actions complemented with these five governance actions: 1. Creation of nutrition office with full time NAO; 2. Passing and implementation of nutrition-related ordinances; 3. Organization and leading of functional nutrition committee; 4. Deployment of at least one Barangay Nutrition Scholar per barangay; and 5. Integration of nutrition in the Executive-Legislative Agenda and provision of adequate budget for nutrition in the Annual Investment Program.
Further, the presentation of Dr. Marivic Samson, OIC-Chief of Nutrition Policy and Planning Division of NNC Central Office emphasized the presence of competent local nutrition workers in the LGUs and having a functional nutrition committee from province to barangay level for intersectoral collaboration are among the key factors for successful nutrition program implementation.
During the panel discussion, PNAO Rubi Apiag who represented Vice Governor Romulo Bacorro shared their strategy in creating nutrition office. Marinduque has established its nutrition office in the year 1994 through a proposal which undergone preparation of position papers and deliberations to justify the need for its creation. With the approval of the governor and Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Provincial Nutrition Office of Marindque was created. Successfully until now, the office is maintained with full time nutrition action officer and several district nutrition program coordinators who are nutritionist-dietitians. “Isa ito sa mga rason kaya maganda ang naging takbo ng nutrition program dito po sa province ng Marinduque, dahil may mga full time workers na nagpopokus sa nutrition programs,” PNAO Apiag emphasized.
On the other hand, Dr. Leonor Daite highlighted the importance of functional nutrition committee. She shared that the success of Roxas, Oriental Mindoro in nutrition program came from its nutrition committee members who work as one towards their clear goal of zero SAM and MAM cases. “Lahat ng miyembro ng nutrition committee gumagalaw tungo sa pagpapababa ng malnutrisyon. May kanya-kanyang role and responsibilities, malinaw sa bawat isa ang galaw, may vision,” Dr. Daite mentioned. She also shared that it is essential to make our leaders understand nutrition, our goals for nutrition, to achieve their full support.
In terms of investment to Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Mayor Leo Livelo of Mogpog, Marinduque stressed that politics should be set aside. “Para sakin napaka-vital ang role ng BNS… sila ang sundalo na maliliit, wala naman tinatanggap na sweldo, any compensation that commensurate sa kanilang sinasakripisyo ay malayo talaga pero kung papalitan, I do hope na wag naman sana.” They are the ones who are trained to work on the nutrition program at community, removing them due to politics would waste the investment.
With the fruitful event, NNC MIMAROPA looks forward for the scaled-up nutrition actions for the improvement of our nutrition situation in the region.
Written by: NO II Bianca Estrella
