08 September 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – The National Nutrition Council Region 10 spearheaded the kick-start of the Northern Mindanao Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement on 7 September 2021, through an orientation via Zoom.
Cabinet Secretary and SUN Adviser for the Philippines Hon. Atty. Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, NNC Deputy Executive Director for Technical Services Ms. Rita D. Papey and Department of Agriculture 10 Regional Executive Director and the Vice Chair of the Regional Nutrition Committee Carlene C. Collado graced the event.
The activity was attended by local partners from the business sector, civil society organizations, and academe, being the SUN Movement members. Present also were the members of the Regional Nutrition Committee, Local Nutrition Focal Points, and media personnel. Attendance totaled to over 95 guests and participants.
During his inspirational message, Cabinet Secretary Nograles recognized the initiatives and potential contributions of the NorMin SUN Movement members, and invited them to join in the fight against hunger and malnutrition, pursuing the Zero Hunger goals of the country.
On the other hand, DED Papey called for collaboration and support from the networks to scale up and protect the nutritionally at-risk and vulnerable, especially the children.
Nutrition Program Coordinator Gladys Mae S. Fernandez presented the rationale of the SUN initiative, as well as the roles of the SUN networks. OIC-Nutrition Officer III of the Nutrition Policy and Planning Division of NNC, Ms. April Jasmine May C. Ducusin then introduced to the participants the SUN 3.0 initiative.
Messages of commitment were then given by select representatives from the SUN Movement partners. Ms. Nenita M. Tan, Chief Operations Officer of Best Friend Goodies, and at the same time, the President of the SUN Business Network in Mindanao represented the Business Sector; Mr. Freddie Ray Cornella, President of the Rotary Club of Carmen Valley also delivered his message of commitment, representing the Civil Society Organizations. And lastly, in behalf of the Academe, Dr. Allene Mae N. Marapao, the Head of the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics, College of Human Ecology in Central Mindanao University declared her message of commitment to the movement.
Moreover, as part of the first step to scale up nutrition in Northern Mindanao, all the members of the region’s SUN Network—business sector, CSOs and academe— committed to the movement through a pledge.
Regional Executive Director Collado of the DA RFO 10 and Vice-Chair of the RNC X concluded the activity by assuring the participants of the Department’s strong support on the implementation of the Scaling Up Nutrition movement.
NNC X envisions that the SUN will rise and shine in Northern Mindanao through collective efforts, as actions steer towards one common goal to intensify nutrition actions to achieve results, and for synergy in terms of priorities for action, and greater accountability and collaboration. (NO I Liezel Joy D. Reyes)
