20 October 2020, Cagayan de Oro City – Two batches of online workshops for Lanao del Norte areas were held last 7-12 and 14-19 October 2020 via Zoom facilitated by the National Nutrition Council X. The Workshops on Integrating Nutrition in the 2021 Annual Investment Programs (AIP) were attended by LGU planning teams composed of Nutrition Action Officers, Health Officers, Budget Officers and Planning and Development Coordinators.
Lanao del Norte is classified as Priority 2 Province of the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cabinet (HDPRC) Cluster due to its high prevalences on stunting and teenage pregnancy, as well as its high poverty incidence and magnitude.
LGU attendees include Lanao del Norte Province, Iligan City and municipalities of Bacolod, Balo-i, Baroy, Kapatagan, Kauswagan, Kolambugan, Lala, Linamon, Magsaysay, Maigo, Nunungan, Poona Piagapo, Sapad, Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Tangcal and Tubod.
The Regional Team of Planning Facilitators (RTPF) took the lead in facilitating the two batches of workshops. RTPF members include NNC X led by NPC Gladys Mae S. Fernandez and staff, Ms. Telesfora G. Madelo, Nutritionist-Dietitian IV of DOH Center for Health Development – Northern Mindanao and the Nutritionist-Dietitians under the DOH’s Human Resource for Health Program assigned in Lanao del Norte areas.
The planning teams attended the workshops for 4 days per batch to recognize the alarming nutrition problems and their roles in safeguarding nutrition, especially with the threat of pandemics.
Six sessions were tackled: 1) Overview of the Online AIP Workshop, 2) Building Pandemic Resilient LGUs through Local Investments in Nutrition, 3) Guidance and Mechanics, 4) Completion of Workshop Outputs, 5) Presentation and Enhancements to the Completed 2021 AIP; and lastly, the 6) Sustainability and Re-entry Plan.
As major outputs of the workshop, the planning teams were able to draft nutrition investments for 2021 focusing on the following: Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition, the First 1000 Days, nutrition-sensitive programs and enabling programs. To ensure that their outputs will be integrated in their LGU’s 2021 AIP, the planning teams crafted re-entry plans as well. This will be made as reference by the RTPF and the planning teams in carrying out the next steps following the workshop.
The Stage 3 of the workshop involved the presentation of outputs done by the participants. Comments and suggestions were solicited from the RTPF to further refine their draft AIPs and re-entry plans. A re-entry plan of the RTPF was also presented to level off follow through activities and technical support.
With this, the RTPF will continuously monitor and assit the LGUs to ensure that the follow-through activities are being executed as planned.
Due to limited mobility and internet connectivity, the municipalities of Matungao, Munai, Pantao Ragat, Pantar and Tagoloan will have offline worshops with onsite technical assistance by the NDs-in charge, with coordination also with NNC X staff assigned. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)
