19 October 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – Interns Keishe Jan T. Aban and Lorry Jane G. Rumbines, both senior students taking Bachelor of Science in Nutrition & Dietetics at Central Mindanao University, completed their 300 hours of community nutrition practicum at the National Nutrition Council Region X Office last 14 October 2021.

Ms. Aban and Ms. Rumbines started their internship last 23 August 2021, and are the first batch of interns to be engaged in a virtual setting due to the pandemic situation.

Both on-the-job trainees were exposed to the nutrition program management cycle, particularly on planning and implementation through drafting of a Barangay Nutrition Action Plan (BNAP). They partnered with Brgy. Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City for this purpose.

Further, their day-to-day tasks involved assistance to NNC X’s policy/planning, surveillance, and nutrition education functions. These include providing support in conducting virtual activities, developing social media cards, drafting of articles, acting as co-anchor in radio program, sending of official communication letters, consolidating reports, among others.

With the guidance of Nutrition Program Coordinator (NPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez, Nutrition Officer III Sheena Marie G. Talle and the rest of the NNC X staff made sure that they deliver quality outputs, and took the initiative to mentor the trainees.

To conclude their internship, they presented their draft BNAP, summary of accomplishments, challenges, and learnings during their 300-hour exposure at NNC X last 14 October 2021. The NNC X is grateful for the determination of Ms. Aban and Ms. Rumbines to accomplish the deliverables despite the challenges posed by the pandemic setting. Lastly, NPC Fernandez also expressed her hopes that the two OJTs had great appreciation of public health nutrition through their experience at NNC X, and invited them to become community nutritionist-dietitians someday.

NNC X is identified as one of CMU’s select partners in preparing their future Registered Nutritionist-Dietitians (RNDs) in the field of public health nutrition. Since 2014, the NNC X accommodated a total of six batches of interns from CMU, totaling to 25 students, of which 23 of them have become successful RNDs. Ms. Aban and Ms. Rumbines will be added to the roster once they pass the licensure exam for Nutritionist-Dietitians come 2022. (NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle)