The Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC) of Poblacion, Margosatubig successfully held a 2-day Basic Course Training for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) in collaboration with the National Nutrition Council IX and Provincial Nutrition Office of Zamboanga del Sur (ZDS). This capacity development (CapDev) activity was spearheaded by the BNC Chairman and Barangay Captain, Hon. Alexander E. Agua, Margosatubig MNAO-designate, Ms. Glemma J. Briones, and Kagawad on Health, Hon. Emma Santiago. It was held at the Barangay Conference Hall of Poblacion, Margosatubig from 10 to 11 March 2022 and was attended by thirty-three (33) BNSs from Barangay Poblacion.
Although it was some sort of an abridged training contrary to longer it should be done, the activity was still able to cover the salient points of the modules based on the pre-assessed needs as follows: 1. Explain the legal mandates and rationale of the BNS program; 2. Discuss the basic concepts of food and nutrition; 3. Demonstrate the skills needed in performing the roles and tasks of BNSs; 4. Describe the nutrition program management at the barangay level and in the context of the local development system; and 5. Illustrate the numerous roles and responsibilities of BNSs in the context of nutrition program management at the barangay level; and 6. Guide accordingly our BNS in the filling-out of nutrition forms.
The BNS Program specifically aims to develop a system or facility for the delivery of basic nutrition and related health services in the barangay through the use of the BNS as a support to the Philippine Nutrition Program (now known as the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition-PPAN). In the Presidential Decree 1569, it is stated that providing a Barangay Nutrition Scholar in every barangay will strengthen the Barangay Nutrition Program. Furthermore, the Barangay Nutrition Scholar is responsible for delivering nutrition services and other related activities such as community health, backyard food production, environmental sanitation, culture, mental feeding, and family planning to the barangay. The BNS is involved in every aspect of the barangay nutrition program management. Community Nutrition Assessment is the process of collecting, processing, analyzing, & interpreting information on the nutrition problem obtained from anthropometric, biochemical, clinical, & dietary methods. It covers the identification of nutrition problems, groups affected, areas affected, and causes, assessment of past experiences, and assessment of available resources & constraints.
As the need for the BNS Program to be implemented by the Local Government Unit (LGU) through the local nutrition committee (LNC) chaired by the local chief executives (LCEs) for the LGU level and barangay captain, for the barangay level. Furthermore, it calls for active community participation and through the BNS, the action plan will be formulated and implemented at the barangay level. The National Nutrition Council Region IX commits to continuously provide technical assistance in Capacity Development of all LGUs from the provinces to the city/municipal down to the barangay levels turning LGUs, LNC members as well as BNSs to become Nutrition Champions!
PNFP Marie-Claire Gaas, RND
