26 February 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – The National Nutrition Council Region X organized the first meeting of Media Advocates for Nutrition in Governance in Region 10 (MANGO DIEZ) last 18 February 2021. The meeting was attended by 10 media partners and presided by the Ad hoc Committee Chairperson, Ms. Jasper Marie O. Rucat, Information Officer II of Philippine Information Agency 10.
Nutrition Program Coordinator Gladys Mae S. Fernandez in her opening message, thanked the members for attending the meeting and encouraged them to pitch ideas on how to improve media approach for information dissemination.
One of the highlights of the meeting was the 2021 Local Media Plan presented by Nutrition Officer (NO) I Vazamija Therese A. Villasi. She enumerated airing of radio programs and materials such as radio plugs for Nutrition Month, 10 Kumainments Nutrition School on-the-Air (NSOA), One Region in Nutrition (ORIN), and One Nutrition, One Nation (OnOn) from NNC. She added that for July 2021, publication of article and conduct of press briefing will be done to disseminate Nutrition Month key messages. The annual Contest on Short Filmmaking will still be pursued, with the possibility of including universities among the contest participants. Social media efforts will be sustained, with the addition of recognizing local government units with good practices in promoting nutrition through Facebook. Lastly, activities for the MANGO DIEZ are also included in the plan, specifically planning workshop and Technical Exchange with other NNC media group.
The Technical Exchange aims to share best practices in advocating and promoting nutrition with another region’s nutrition media group. The MANGO DIEZ members agreed for a backup plan in case the said activity will not be pursued due to limitations caused by COVID-19. Media partners can visit instead LGUs with best practices in managing nutrition programs.
The second agenda focused on the Regional Nutrition Situation Updates by NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle where she reported the prevalence of malnutrition among 0-59 months old and school-aged children based on the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) done by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI), and the 2020 Operation Timbang Plus results. Data on infant and young child feeding was also presented.
Lastly, Provincial Nutrition Coordinator for ECCD-First 1000 Days in Bukidnon Province Ms. Stephanie C. Barrio gave updates on the Tutok Kainan Supplementation Program including its objectives, priority groups and ongoing social mobilization efforts done by the national, regional and LGU level. She mentioned that coordination with recipient LGUs and partner agencies/suppliers is ongoing as the Tutok Kainan nears its implementation date.
The meeting was conducted to improve the local media plan activities and initiatives to intensify promotion of nutrition through the use of different medium and at the same time, identify the media partners’ next steps especially during this time of pandemic. (NO I Vazamija Therese A. Villasi)
