If Region 10 has a list of LGUs’ success stories on nutrition program from scratch, Misamis Occidental Province will definitely be included in the top ranks. In 2015, the province was listed as one of the country’s most nutritionally-depressed.

Through providing manpower resources to solely focus on nutrition as well as the cooperation of the Provincial Nutrition Committee and other relevant stakeholders, the Province was able to significantly decrease its malnutrition rate in three (3) years. Declined stunting prevalence of 13.15% in 2016 to 9.7% in 2018, from 3.56% to 2.99% in wasting, and 5.94% to 4.16% in underweight. This substantial decrease in the various indicators is a glaring indication that the province is on to something highly significant.

Among the Province’s responses to combat malnutrition are the following:

1. Creation of Provincial Nutrition Lobby Team to advocate to municipalities to prioritize nutrition programs

2. Increased funds for nutrition to ₱6.5 million in 2018 from ₱5.2 million in the previous year

3. Investing in the First 1000 Days of life through provision of Manna Packs to pregnant and lactating women. Also the First Baby, First Time Maging Mommy Program as support of the country’s First 1000 Days Program. This initiative prioritizes first time mothers to ensure that they provide their babies with optimum nutrition through infant and young child feeding (IYCF) as nutrition education component.

4. Mobile C-Gov initiative which brings services to far-flung areas

5. Mobilizing the Philippine National Police to champion nutrition. Wallet-sized 10 Kumainments prints are required as part of the polices’ uniform. PNP further supported the nutrition education and supplementary feeding program of the Province through provision of harvested crops from their Police Station backyard gardens, and provision of monetary support derived from the PNP’s budget.

6. Capacitating local nutrition workers through conduct of trainings on Nutrition in Emergencies, IYCF, gender and nutrition, among others. Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) Training and Refresher Course was done to all 14 municipalities to equip and update the BNSs on their roles as front liners of nutrition in the barangay.

7. Educating Misamisnons through quad-media platform. Local TV program entitled Saktong Nutrisyon sa Katawhang Misamisnon or SNK Misamisnon regularly informed and educated citizens with health and nutrition topics.
8. Creation of the Provincial Bantay Asin Task Force to combat iodine deficiency and promote the use of adequately iodized salt.

Attaining the 1^st Year CROWN Maintenance Award, Misamis Occidental owes its victories to the multi-sectoral involvement of the various Provincial Offices and the non-government organizations which greatly boosted the Province’s nutrition actions. Misamis Occidental’s journey towards a well-nourished community is like that of a story from rags to riches. The riches, from the nutrition program’s point of view, is the improved health and nutrition outcomes that the Province will proudly carry on, with a CROWN.