From being one of the most nutritionally depressed provinces in the country in 2015 to Outstanding Province in the Region for three (3) consecutive years, Misamis Occidental is a success story that still has many better chapters to offer.
The Provincial Nutrition Committee led by Governor Herminia M. Ramiro together with the Provincial Nutrition Action Office fronted by PNAO Marichu G. Tijing and cooperation of the municipalities and the barangays, serves as well-equipped vanguard against malnutrition, specifically for the infant and young children, pregnant and lactating women and elderly.
How did the Misamis Occidental work through its way up the roster of performing LGUs in the region? Among their unique initiatives and good practices are as follows:
- Increased budget for nutrition from ₱500,000 in 2014 to ₱6.05 million in 2017
- Bringing basic nutrition and other social services closer to the people through the Mobile C-Gov Project under the GO! HERMIE Program which focuses on health, education and youth, good governance, order of law and public safety, rural and agriculture development, micro enterprise development, environment, eco-tourism, among others.
- Created the Provincial Nutrition Lobby Team to encourage and influence municipalities to prioritize nutrition programs
- First to heed the call for the creation of a Provincial Bantay Asin Task Force to curve the mild iodine deficiency disorder in the province
- Educating the Misamisnons on proper nutrition through quad media—TV, radio, print and social media. Local TV program called SNK Misamisnon or Saktong Nutrition sa Katawhang Misamisnon is regularly aired, local radio airwaves are filled with nutrition plugs and other materials provided by the NNC and an active FB page Misamis Occidental Provincial Nutrition Committee.
- Establishment of Philippine National Police (PNP) Gulayan in every station
- Intensified efforts for the First 1000 Days by provision of Manna Packs to pregnant and lactating women
- Strengthened Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) by setting up lactation rooms in various areas in the province, conduct of capacity building on IYCF and display and reproduction of nutrition IEC materials
The province’s efforts came out positive as there is a continuing decline in the prevalence of malnutrition. Prevalence rate of underweight among 0-59 months old children decreased from 10.33% in 2013 to 4.75% in 2017. Situation on stunting also improved, from a prevalence of 20.73% in 2015 to 11.4% in 2017.
Being hailed as a Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner on Nutrition in 2017, the Province of Misamis Occidental prides itself for their convergence of nutrition actions as ONE PROVINCE IN NUTRITION to make sure that no Misamisnon child will be left behind. (Sheena Marie G. Talle, NNC X)
