Hunger and malnutrition remain to be a challenge for continued economic development and population growth of the world. In the Philippines, study results and official statistics showed that malnutrition remains to be a persistent public health concern in the country. Through the years, there have been slow reductions in the prevalence of stunting from 33.8% in 2003 to 29.5% in 2018-2019. The country still has a lot of work to do to ensure that effective and sustainable actions will be done to meet the 2025 World Health Assembly (WHA) Global Nutrition Targets and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The year 2022 marks the last year of Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022. The coming new administration also heralds a new development planning cycle. Thus, to keep abreast of the strategies and actions that should be done, Nutrition Action Plans for 2023-2028 must be formulated at the national, regional, and local levels.

Last August 31, 2022, the National Nutrition Council Region IX (NNC9) conducted a Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) 2017-2022 Program Implementation Review at Grand Astoria Hotel, Zamboanga City via a hybrid approach of face-to-face and virtually through Google Meet. The activity was spearheaded by RNPC Nimfa D Ekong and Mr. Elton N. Pelegrino as resource speakers from NNC regional 9 and the activity was participated by no less than 40 RTWG-RNAHC members, P/C/MNAOs, and LNPCs from the different LGUs, and NNC9 staff.

The objectives of Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) 2017-2022 Program Implementation Review (PIR) is to assess the extent of which strategies and targets planned for 2017-2022 in the results framework were implemented and have been proven successful, to Identify the gaps and challenges encountered in the implementation and coordination of PPAN through RPAN, to identify strategic targets that need adjustment, to identify strategies to improve plan implementation for the successor RPAN 2023-2028 for the realization of PPAN and agencies to re-commit to the implementation of the PPAN results framework. The National Nutrition Council Regional Office IX (NNC RO9) will ensure that they are well acquainted with the progress of nutrition programs and potential benefits they can get from managing nutrition programs properly that will make them Nutrition Champions.

ZS DMO II Karla P. Calapardo, RND