11 December 2020, Cagayan de Oro City — The National Nutrition Council Central Office (NNC CO) and NNC Region 10 (NNC X) carried out a back-to-back orientation meeting last 7 December 2020. Eighteen (18) participants composed of Early Childhood Care and Development-First 1000 Days (ECCD-F1K) areas Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs), Department of Agrarian Reform Region 10 (DAR X) and DAR Bukidnon representatives, Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Organization (ARBO) representatives, and NNC X staff headed by Nutrition Program Coordinator (NPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez attended both virtual and onsite meetings. The onsite meeting was conducted at the VIP Hotel, Don Apolinar Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City, simultaneous via Zoom for virtual participants.
The morning session was intended for the orientation on the dietary supplementation program procurement process. This was facilitated by NNC CO with Administrative Officer (AO) Serapio D. Camarines as the resource person. Topics tackled during the orientation include background and types of negotiated procurement, definition, applicability, conditions and procedures of community participation as a type of negotiated procurement, its guiding principles, thresholds, and procedural guidelines. AO Camarines further discussed the eligible Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) to participate in a community participation procurement and the legal, technical, and financial requirements to be submitted for a CBO to be considered as a supplier.
In the afternoon, NNC X utilized the remaining time to have a meeting on the Tutok Kainan supplementation program preparation and implementation. NPC Fernandez presented the Cycle Menu and the draft Marketing Agreement with ARBOs and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with DAR X and DAR Bukidnon. Provincial Nutrition Coordinator (PNC) Stephanie C. Barrio also presented the schedule of delivery, packing, and distribution of food commodities preferred by ECCD-F1K Areas NAOs during their previous meeting with NNC X last 6 November 2020. Furthermore, NPC Fernandez followed up the status of the MOU signing with the eight (8) recipient Local Government Units (LGUs) and asked for updates on LGU’s preparations for the program. After taking all the agenda, PNC Barrio summarized the agreements covering ARBOs compliance to the required documents, DAR Bukidnon’s coordination for additional ARBOs to supply for Valencia City, Kibawe and Libona, finalization of MOU and Marketing Agreement, submission of updated masterlist of pregnant women, among others. It was also agreed that NAOs and ARBO suppliers would have a separate meeting to discuss supply and distribution concerns and strategies fit for a particular LGU.
To date, Tutok Kainan supplementation program guidelines and schedule of implementation are still be to be finalized. Nevertheless, NNC X and the rest of the attendees expect further coordination and training before the program starts for a smoother and well-directed implementation. (PNC Stephanie C. Barrio)
