Are you passionate about assisting someone you think needs help? Do you have the humanitarian qualities of working for your community?  Do you want the nutritional well-being of your fellowmen to be ensured? If you are hardworking, dedicated, and committed with some sense of leadership, then you have what it takes to be a BNS. A Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) is a community-based volunteer worker who assists the government in the delivery of nutrition and related services in the barangays. BNS’s deployment in every barangay is mandated by the Presidential Decree (PD) 1569. This law mandates the National Nutrition Council (NNC) to administer the BNS Program in coordination with the local government units (LGUs) and as such is tasked to develop capacities of BNSs. It also aims to provide at least one BNS per barangay in the country to monitor the nutritional status of children and other nutritionally at-risk or vulnerable groups and be able to link them with nutrition and nutrition-related service providers.

In order for the BNS to carry out their assigned roles and tasks more effectively and efficiently, there is a need to equip them with basic information on the BNS program as well as other information relevant to the performance of their roles and functions.

A BNS is a trained volunteer community worker with the following qualifications:

• A bonafide resident of the barangay for at least four years and can speak the local language;
• Possess leadership potentials as evidenced by membership and leadership in community organizations;
• Willing to serve the barangay, part-time or full-time for at least one year;
• At least elementary graduate but preferably has reached high school level;
• Physically and mentally fit;
• More than 18 years old, but younger than 60 years old.

To be a BNS is to care for the malnourished children

The BNS locates and identifies malnourished children through a community survey referred to as the Operation Timbang Plus (OPT Plus). It is an anthropometric assessment that involves weighing and measuring the length or height of all preschoolers and interviewing mothers to determine how the child has been cared, know the resources available in the family, and identify the extent of their participation in nutrition and nutrition-related interventions.

To be a BNS is to mobilize the participation of the community

The BNS also engages the community to do action by organizing families into clusters of 20-25 households, or into community-based organizations working and helping the barangay to improve the nutrition situation among the vulnerable.

To be a BNS is to build linkages with people

With the barangay masterlist of wasted, stunted, under- and overweight children, pregnant and lactating mothers, the BNS links the people needing nutrition intervention and the barangay service providers.  Thus, part of the BNS training is to learn the various nutrition interventions and the various workers in the barangay.  In addition, the BNS performs other specific tasks, including organizing community nutrition activities and sharing nutrition information in the community.

To be a BNS is to assist in delivering nutrition and related services which include: 

• Organizing a mothers’ class or community nutrition education classes;
• Providing nutrition counseling services, especially on exclusive breastfeeding and appropriate complementary feeding, through home visits;
• Managing community-based feeding programs under the supervision of a nutritionist-dietitian or a trained personnel;
• Distributing seeds, seedlings, and small animals from the local agriculture office and other government organizations and non-government organizations to promote the home or community food gardens; and
• Informing the community on scheduled immunization, deworming, and other health activities under the instruction of the local midwife, agriculture officer, social welfare officer, and other workers.

To be a BNS is to document accomplishments and keep records

To help other barangay workers and the local officials, the BNS keeps a record of the results of the regular nutritional assessment as well as records on the nutrition and health profile of families in the barangay.  The BNS also keeps records of the various nutrition programs and accomplishments of the barangay. 

The BNS also formulates a BNS Action Plan as a guide in managing her/his different tasks to support the implementation of the Barangay Nutrition Action Plan.  To document her accomplishments as a BNS, he/she prepares a record of monthly accomplishments in relation to the targets in the BNS action plan.  The BNS also keeps track of his or her daily activities through a diary.  The diary lists the BNS’ activities for the day, observations and insights as part of her/his on-the-job training and continuing education as a BNS.

What’s the catch? As a BNS, you are entitled to numerous benefits. A BNS may be given some incentives. After completing two consecutive years of satisfactory service, the BNS can avail of a first level eligibility by filing the proper application with the regional office of the Civil Service Commission. This gives the BNS a chance to become a full-pledged civil servant should the BNS qualify for a vacant clerical position in the local government.

BNS receives a monthly traveling allowance from the NNC, and from the provincial, city, municipal, or barangay governments.  The amount of the allowance varies depending on the financial capability of the LGUs.  In addition, the NNC provides survivorship assistance for the families of deceased BNSs, and medical assistance to BNSs who have been confined in a medical facility.  

Other perks include receiving a bag, a t-shirt and a set of nutrition information materials to be shared with the other members of the community. From LGUS, BNSs also receive various material incentives like uniforms and jackets.

When the BNS does his/her work well with proper documentation, he/she could be chosen as an outstanding BNS in the municipality, city, province or region; and may even be chosen as the National Outstanding BNS. The NOBNS is recognized annually during the National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony.

As nutrition movers in the community, BNSs can be more effective in extending their services and strengthening the link between the community and health service if they are properly recruited and selected, well-trained, well-supervised and supported with sufficient needs for supplies and medicines, and are equipped in performing their roles and functions as volunteers and scholars in the community. Be an instrument in solving malnutrition, be a BNS!

NO I Zhalimar Ali Jakaria-Patulada, RND

References:

BNS Program

https://nnc.gov.ph/plans-and-programs/barangay-nutrition-scholar-bns-program

BNS Handbook

Chapter 1 The BNS Program