25 July 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – Over 90 participants joined the Updating Meeting for Region 10 Nutrition Networks held 21 July 2021 via Zoom. Participants were composed of Regional Nutrition Committee-Technical Working Group (RTWG) members, Nutrition Action Officers, District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Nutritionist-Dietitians under the Human Resource for Health Program of the Department of Health.

Prior the presentation of updates, National Nutrition Council Executive Director Azucena M. Dayanghirang, MD, MCH CESO III gave an inspirational talk about the 2021 Nutrition Month campaign, urging stakeholders to unify efforts to combat malnutrition through the First 1000 Days.

The activity served as the first venue among nutrition workers for the discussion on the upcoming full devolution in 2022, per the Mandanas-Garcia Supreme Court Ruling. The discussion of the said topic was facilitated by Ms. Blanche B. Villamor, Local Government Operations Officer V of the Department of the Interior and Local Government X. In her presentation, Ms. Villamor highlighted the increase in the National Tax Allotment (NTA) shares of the local government units. This will entail devolved programs and more program ownership by the local governments, and increased potential investments for nutrition, most especially resource enhancements in the LGUs.

The NNC X through Nutrition Program Coordinator Gladys Mae S. Fernandez and staff shared updates on the approved RNC and Regional Development Council X resolutions. RNC resolutions issued are related to the LGU mobilization strategy, nutrition in emergencies and expansion of regional nutrition structures. On the other hand, the RDC resolutions presented were about the 2021 Nutrition Month Campaign, Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program, and on mobilizing LGUs for the First 1000 Days.

Further, NPC Fernandez presented the DBM Local Budget Memorandum No. 82 issued on 14 June 2021. The Budget Memorandum reiterates the need for LGUs to prepare their local nutrition action plans and budgets in preparation for the local government budgeting period for 2022.

Following the presentation of all the updates, NPC Fernandez presented the action lines that the RNC and LGUs alike can do to continue implement and scale-up the nutrition agenda, factoring in the Mandanas-Garcia SC ruling implementation next year. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)