The weather in Bicol like the rest of the country can be quite unpredictable these days, but this did not prevent the warm reception received by a team of nutrition experts from UNICEF led by Ms. Dorothy Foote, the MYCNSIA Regional Advisor of UNICEF based in Thailand, along with Mr. Henry Mdebwe, the Nutrition Specialist of UNICEF Philippines and Ms. Evelyn Carpio, also a Nutrition Specialist from UNICEF Philippines. They landed in Naga City on a cloudy with a slight rain and proceeded directly to the City Hall of Naga City where they were warmly welcomed by a host of partners who are the active members of the Regional Technical Working Group (RTWG) of the MDGF 2030, chaired by Ms. Arlene R. Reario, the Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC Region 5.

Ms. Foote and her team scheduled a meeting with the JP Partners from Ragay and Naga along with the DOLE and the National Food Authority (NFA) and the Metro Naga Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MNCCI), Inc. who provided assistance in the visit to I – Rice outlets and Breastfeeding Stations at the SM City Naga and the Naga College Foundation.

The objective of the mission was to interact with various partners and stakeholders that actively supports and promote the goals of eradicating malnutrition among mothers and young infants alike, as part of the UN Agencies’ thrust in achieving t MDGs particularly Goals 1 and 4.

Day 1 – 03 October 2012 – Naga City

In the morning of October 3, Ms. Foote and her team met with the various stakeholders mostly from Ragay and Naga, joined by the representatives from DOLE Cam Sur, NFA, MNCCI. Dr. Joframel Paz, the Assistant City Health Officer of Naga City, assisted by CNAO Teresita Del Castillo presented Naga’s accomplishments and various initiatives that promote and support IYCF through the MDGF 2030 and other programs initiated by the City Government. At the end of their presentation, Mayor John Bongat of Naga City graced the occasion and he himself discussed in detail those initiatives and why Naga City has been a consistent National Awardee on health and nutrition programs, over the years.

For their part, Ragay also presented their initiatives on the Piloting of Food Security Early Warning System (FS-EWS), through the support of FAO. Mr. Neopito Tipay, together with the Ragay team, gave a walked through of what is EWS, how it has been piloted in Ragay, and how it has helped them planned out much needed interventions when the results of the data gathering clearly gave them a warning of an impending food insecurity in the identified 6 sentinels sites of Ragay. At the end of the meeting, NPC Reario thanked everyone who participated and attended the meeting.

Braving minor rains, the team then proceeded to the I-Rice outlets at the Naga City Public Market, now known as Naga City People’s Mall, for a short interaction with dealers and retailers of NFA Rice and I-Rice. Director Rex Estoperez of NFA led the group in the visit to the outlets. Ms. Foote, particularly asked the retailers what they know about I-Rice, how they access this from NFA, and how they inform the consumers/ buyer of the importance of buying this iron-rich rice.

After the visit at the public market, the team proceeded to the Naga College Foundation, a private tertiary institution in Naga, for a visit in their breastfeeding station. In a meeting with its President, Ms. Marguerite Michelle V. Padua-Hornby, she actively related the school’s support for health and nutrition program in the community. That is why they deemed it important to set up a lactation station for their employees and other clients.

Next stop was at the SM city Naga to view the lactation station at the mall. Ms. Jeannette B. De Vera, the Assistant Mall Manager of SM City Naga briefed the team on the activities of the lactation station. It was recalled that SM City Naga played host to a number of MDGF 2030 related activities including the breastfeeding photo exhibit last year.

Visit to Bgy. Del Rosario in Naga City was the last in the list where the group was greeted by Barangay Captain Jose Penas, BNS Floreniano Mariano, Kagawad Yoly Regidor who chairs the Health and Nutrition Committee, Peer Counselors (PC) and a number of mothers. By this time, the interactions centered on the experiences of the BNS, PCs, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers on breastfeeding. BNS Mariano explained their initiatives in reaching out to as many mothers as they can, now with the help of trained peer counselors. Together with the midwife, she related that now, PCs are reaching more mothers and are provided with right information. It used to be that they had to walk long hours to reach mothers specially those in remote areas in their barangay.

Day 2 - Visit to Gubat, Sorsogon

The next day, the team visited Gubat, Sorsogon for an observation of an NNC-funded IYCF training being conducted in partnership with the Local Government of Gubat, Sorsogon at the Rizal Beach Resort.  Ms. Foote and Mr. Mdebwe interacted with participants who were the BNS, BHW, kagawad on health and parent leaders.  Questions asked were mostly on use of micronutrient powder (MNP) and  iron supplements.

Despite the full two day activity, and with a lot of miles covered by the visit, the milestones achieved in conveying the message that our advocates, and partners will not let up in their quest to address malnutrition in Bicol lightens our mood and gives us more energy for even longer journeys ahead.

Day 2 - Visit to Gubat, Sorsogon