Malnutrition, particularly stunting remains to be a challenge in our country to date. Based on the DOST-FNRI 2019 National Nutrition Survey, 1 out of 3 under 5 years old children are stunted. In Bicol, OPT Plus 2019-2021 result showed a still high prevalence with a reduction trend that is aligned with Bicol target, albeit slow at 2% per year with17.8%, 15.7% and 13.38%, respectively. Of the six provinces, Sorsogon, ranked third with stunting rate of 14.76%, slightly higher than the 2021 regional average. This problem on stunting continues to affect children and needs multi-stakeholder action especially in this time of pandemic where malnutrition increases the threat further. This situation brought the Province of Sorsogon to be among the areas under National Nutrition Council’s Tutok Kainan: Dietary Supplementation Program (TKDSP) for 6-23 months old children. Other provinces in the program are Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate and Albay who ranked 1^st, 2^nd, 4^th and 6^th respectively with high stunting rate.

TKDSP aims to contribute to the prevention of stunting by improving the quality and quantity of food and nutrient intake and utilization of related ECCD F1K services among the targeted 1,367 nutritionally at-risk children 6-23 months old in all municipalities in the province.

 TKDSP will run for 180 days with a food commodity scheme that include Mingo Meals, a ready to eat food from the DOST-FNRI for the first month. Followed by hot meals, of which raw ingredients will be procured from Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO) assisted by the Department of Agrarian Reform. Hot meals, with Iron Fortified Rice (IFR) will be provided from the 2^nd to 6^th month of feeding during weekdays (Monday-Friday), alternately with dry feeding on weekends with FNRI complementary food commodities. This engagement with ARBO is under the Enhanced Partnership Against Poverty and Hunger.

Aside from food commodities, food containers and utensils were already provided to the LGUs on January 26, 2022. While the first delivery of Mingo Meals for dry feeding, was also delivered on March 8-9, 2022.

Feeding activity will be accompanied by a nutrition education component through text blast containing informative and motivational messages on nutrition. These will be sent daily by a designated team from NNC Central Office to parents/guardians of targeted children. Monitoring will be done daily by the Barangay Focal Person composed either of the BNS, BHW, DCW, and others to check if they consumed their meals to ensure the utilization of daily nutrient allowance. Reporting will be made via SMS with proper documentation.

Social preparations and LGU mobilization like series of meetings with the Local Chief Executives, Local Government Officials, Nutrition Action Officers, and workers at the provincial, municipal and barangay levels were conducted by Ms. Eljessa M. Lumbao, the Provincial Nutrition Focal Person deployed by the National Nutrition Council to firm up plans for the program since October 2021. This already bore support of LGUs who promptly signed and submitted to NNC the respective Memorandum of Understanding where the responsibility of counterpart funding and monitoring were stipulated. As of this posting, LGUs are eagerly waiting for TKDSP to finally start.

- EML, DBB, MCV, NNC ROV