13 April 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – The National Nutrition Council X organized and facilitated a series of Focus Group Discussions (FGD) in preparation for the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) from 5-13 April 2021.

Target PMNP areas are Cabanglasan, Kalilangan, San Fernando and Talakag, Bukidnon; and Baroy, Kauswagan, Maigo, Matungao, Pantar, Salvador, and Tubod, Lanao del Norte. All municipalities, except Kauswagan, were able to attend the FGDs.

In the conduct of activities, the following were invited to act as respondents: Nutrition Action Officers, District Nutrition Program Coordinators, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Barangay Health Workers, Day Care Workers, other health and nutrition workers, tribal leaders, and indigenous people’s mandatory representatives. Personnel from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) Bukidnon accompanied the NNC X team in all the activities conducted in Bukidnon areas.

The FGDs were done to assess the health and nutrition concerns of the PMNP areas, and to gather inputs and recommendations from the people in the ground level.

Face-to-face activities were held for the following Bukidnon municipalities: Cabanglasan, Kalilangan, San Fernando and Talakag. On the other hand, a virtual FGD was held for all Lanao del Norte areas, together with representatives from the Provincial Government of Bukidnon.

For each of the FGD session, a presentation was done regarding the background of the PMNP, the objectives of the FGD, and the discussion proper.

All participants provided inputs to the questions raised on the following topics: 1) most common health and nutrition concerns or problems in the community; 2) gender issues in relation to health and nutrition concerns experienced in the communities; 3) appropriate nutrition-specific programs to address the health and nutrition concerns in the community; and 4) recommendations.

Before each FGD was concluded, responses were solicited from the community nutrition implementers and indigenous peoples. All areas unanimously gave positive responses regarding the PMNP, as the project will ultimately benefit their constituents especially the indigents.

Subsequently, NNC X will forward a summary report of all FGD documentations to NNC Central Office. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)