The MELLPI Pro roll-out training conducted on April 2-3, 2019 in the province of Masbate officially concludes the series of roll-out trainings on the Updated Monitoring and Evaluation Protocol for Local Government Units (LGUs) in the Bicol Region. Schedules of the training for the other provinces started with Camarines Norte on March 11-12, followed by Catanduanes on March 18-19, Camarines Sur composed of 2 batches held on March 19-20 and March 28-29, and Albay on March 21-22.

The trainings were attended by a total of 244 participants, composed mostly of Municipal Nutrition Action Officers (MNAOs), other members of the Municipal/Provincial Nutrition Committees, representatives from various agencies such as from the planning, social welfare, and nutritionists-dietitians. Those who were trained by the region during the Training of Trainors conducted last February 28-March 1 served as the trainors for the roll-out training with the assistance of NNC RO V technical staff.

The training on the updated monitoring and evaluation tool made the participants realize the importance of a functional municipal and barangay nutrition committees and the need for proper record keeping and documentation. They also felt the strong need for local resolutions adopting national laws and policies on nutrition interventions. Though the evaluation will be more thorough and broader – considering the inclusion of the evaluation of nutrition workers, they find the new tool easy-to-use and more objective in terms of generating results.

The RNET will soon be embarking on the Search in the Bicol Region for 2018 Regional Outstanding BNS and LGUs which will qualify as recipients of the Certificate of Quality Nutrition Program. (NO II Ravago)