17-19 October 2022- The NNC9 headed by RNPC Ms. Nimfa D. Ekong in cooperation with the UNICEF Philippines has successfully conducted a 3-day Local Nutrition Action Planning Workshop: Integrating Nutrition in the PDPFP, CDP, and LDIP for the Province of Zamboanga del Norte at Manuel Resort, Piñan, Zamboanga del Norte. The workshop was participated by no less than one hundred (100) members of the Local Nutrition Committee (LNC) including City/Municipal Health and Nutrition Action Officers, Nutrition Coordinators, Sanitary Inspector, Nutritionist-Dietitians, Budget Officers, and Planning and Development Officers and their representatives from twenty-seven (27) LGUs of the Province of Zamboanga del Norte. Also present are the DILG Provincial Director Mr. Oliver Ombos, ZDN-PNAO Dr. Jose G. Mante, RNPC Ms. Nimfa D. Ekong and staff from NNC 9, Nutrition Officer Mr. Pete John Biscarra, F1KD Coordinator Mr. Lemuelle Moninio, and Nutrition Data & Information Management Consultant Ms. Susan Batutay of the UNICEF Philippines, DOH 9 NDDPs, Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF), Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) and Action Against Hunger (AAH), ZNFePA and other development partners on nutrition.
Local nutrition planning is being conducted to decide in advance the actions that would be taken to address the current problems in nutrition. Its output is a three-year local nutrition action plan and an annual investment plan for nutrition to help ensure that the plan is funded and implemented. The 3-year plan contains sections that include an assessment of the nutrition situation; the goals and objectives, a work plan for programs, projects, and activities to be implemented, a monitoring and evaluation scheme, budgetary requirements, and arrangements for organization and coordination. To improve the nutrition situation through effective planning, members of the LNC of the LGUs of Zamboanga del Norte were convened for a 3-day LNAP Planning Workshop. This workshop was conducted to formulate the city/municipality’s Local Nutrition Action Plan (LNAP) for the years 2023-2025 and integrate it into the LGU’s Development and Physical Framework Plan, the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP), the Local Development and Investment Plan (LDIP), the Annual Investment Program (AIP), and the Executive Legislative Agenda (ELA). The formulation and integration of LNAP into the LDP and AIP will help ensure that nutrition action at the local level is strategic and purposive.
The 3-day workshop includes training sessions composed of lecture-discussion and workshops. It includes lecture-discussion and workshops on the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-20228, functions of LNC, nutrition office and Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs), assessment of PPAs, system analysis of nutrition situation, drafting of a problem tree, formulation of nutrition situational analysis, setting outcome targets of the LGU, costing workbook for AIP integration, formulation of Vision, Mission, Goals, and Objectives, and resource mobilization strategy by NO III Pelegrino, DMO II Zorilla and DMO II Gaas. Defining projects and activities to achieve outcome targets and formulation of LNAP Workplan 2023-2025 was also presented by ND II Paquibot. At the end of the workshop, selected LGUs presented their draft Local Nutrition Action Plan (LNAP) 2023-2025 and re-entry plan. All LGUs are expected to submit their outputs after the workshop.
Selected LGU representatives shared their impressions followed by the message of commitment of the Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Director Mr. Oliver B. Ombos. In his statement, he reiterated the importance of nutrition. “In our LGUs, especially our NAOs we should convince our LCEs to give priority and importance to nutrition.” To fully convince our Mayors, we should present results-based data to show them the current nutrition situation in their city/municipality. This will help LCEs understand why nutrition should be given utmost importance. Director Ombos also mentioned the creation separate nutrition office with full-time staff and a budget. “Since we still lack the legal basis, the NAOs should lobby the creation of separate nutrition offices to their respective Local Chief Executives.” Provincial Director Ombos ended his speech by expressing his commitment, “On behalf of the Department Local and Interior Local Government, we are in full support of the nutrition programs.” The program ended with the closing remarks of the Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Dr. Jose G. Mante and the giving of certificates to participants, facilitators, and guest speakers.
ZDN DMO II Rowence F. Zorilla, RND
