September 14 to 16, 2022--NNC9 headed by RNPC Ms. Nimfa D. Ekong in collaboration with UNICEF Philippines conducts a 3-day Local Nutrition Action Planning Workshop: Integrating Nutrition in the PDPFP, CDP, and LDIP for the City Government of Zamboanga held at Marcian Business Hotel, Zamboanga City. It was participated by no less than 35 members of the City Nutrition Committee, District Medical Officers, City Nutrition Program Coordinators, District Nurses, and different government and non-government sectors with their offices located within the city. The workshop was organized by NNC9 and was funded by UNICEF-Philippines. Present during the said live-in activity were Nutrition Specialist Ms. Ma. Evelyn P. Carpio, Nutrition Officer Mr. Pete John Biscarra, and F1KD Coordinator Mr. Lemuelle Moninio of UNICEF Philippines. The 3-day workshop aims to formulate the city’s Local Nutrition Action Plan for the years 2023-2025 and integrate it into the LGU’s Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and Local Development Investment Program (LDIP).
During the first day of the workshop, RNPC Ekong shared the current draft of PPAN 2023 – 2028 for the fir st session of the workshop. The current document is a product of several NNC led-activities over the last few months consulting with different stakeholders in the nutrition sector both representing government and non-government partners. It also includes lessons drawn from several reports commissioned by the NNC, reports of partner development organizations, and feedback from recent consultations made with various nutrition stakeholders from national and local partners coordinated by the UPLBFI team last May to June.
The presentation covers 3 main parts of the PPAN which is very helpful in providing a broad context for the activities during the workshop:
1) Nutrition Situation Analysis;
2) Strategies and Interventions; and
3) Organization and Management
Development Management Officer II Ms. Marie-Claire Gaas presented the Proposed Structure of the Local Nutrition Office wherein, LGUs can create new positions and establish new offices/departments based on their priorities as part of their powers under the Local Government Code as they take full responsibility in the delivery of basic services and ensure accountability, competence, and professionalism within the LGU. Ms. Gaas also discussed briefly the functions of the Local Nutrition Committee, the roles, and functions of Nutrition Offices, as well as the functions of P/C/M Nutrition Action Officers.
RNPC Ekong also discussed the seven compelling reasons why we should invest in nutrition. Followed by Workshop 1: the Assessment of PPAs wherein, the participants were divided into there (3) groups (namely: the East Coast, West Coast, and Central). Each group was able to present their outputs then. The Systems Analysis of Nutrition Situation was presented by Nutrition Officer III Mr. Elton Pelegrino. Then, was followed by workshop 2: Drafting of Problem Tree by each group.
Sessions 5 & 6 which are the Formulation of Nutrition Situational Analysis and Setting Outcome Targets of the LGU were presented by DMO II Gaas. After this, the participants were given workshops 3 & 4 for them to accomplish. Meanwhile, in Session 7, DOH9 Nutritionist-Dietitian IV Ms. Chrystal Jean Dela Cerna presented the Defining Projects & Activities to Achieve Outcome Targets and how to formulate the LNAP Wokplan 2023-2025. Right after, the participants were given workshop 5, wherein, they have to come up and draft their Workplan Matrix which was presented as well by each group.
NO III Pelegrino also presented and discussed the Costing Workbook for AIP Integration for Session 8. DMO II Gaas discussed Session 9 of the program, which is the Formulation of Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives as well as the topic for session 10: Resource Mobilization followed by session 11, Monitoring and Evaluation Plan.
Then, for the last session 12, everyone was able to help in putting together the 2023-2025 Nutrition Action Plan after deliberation and sharing of ideas as well as giving comments and suggestions.
PDO I Kimberly Tanador, RND
