24 December 2021, Cagayan de Oro City – Every semester, the Local Nutrition Early Warning System for Food and Nutrition Security (LNEWS-FNS) areas are set for monitoring. The local government units (LGUs) of Kadingilan, Bukidnon, Bonifacio, Misamis Occidental and Ozamiz City were visited last 14, 16 and 17 December 2021, respectively.
The monitoring was attended by the LGUs’ LNEWS-FNS Core Group members, Household Data Collectors, City/Municipal Nutrition Actions Officers (C/MNAOs), and Nutrition Officers (NOs) of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Region 10. Also, Ozamiz City Administrator Atty. Sam Norman G. Fuentes and City Councilor Katherine C. Lim joined the activity. A total of 32 participants attended the monitoring from the three (3) LNEWS-FNS areas.
Semi-annually, the monitoring is conducted to assess data collection, transmission, and analysis, interpretation, and conversion into the information of the LNEWS-FNS areas. Likewise, it aims to formulate appropriate courses of action in response to specific problems encountered in terms of food and nutrition security.
The C/MNAO of each area presented the updates on the food and nutrition security in their locality and discussed ways to improve the program implementation. In addition, the Household Data Collectors shared their experiences and assistance needed from the City/Municipality and NNC.
Each area faced different challenges in the program implementation, particularly in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes the suspension of data collection due to heightened restrictions and limited manpower to encode data. Further, in some areas, the Core Group was not able to convene regularly to analyze and interpret the data.
With the upcoming devolution of services in the country, the LGUs plan to propose hiring of manpower, allocating additional funds for LNEWS activities and other nutrition programs, and prioritizing the procurement of measuring equipment, e.g., height boards.
Moreover, NO II Arlie Joy O. Damiles stressed that LNEWS-FNS is a tool that will help the Local Nutrition Committee (LNC) to understand the seasonality of malnutrition and why it exists. The early detection of food and nutrition insecurity will enable the LGUs to take timely actions to address the current problem and worsening of the food and nutrition situation.
To ensure that every household is food and nutritionally secured, everyone must work hard and put their best effort to contribute in alleviating food insecurity and eradicating malnutrition. (NO II Arlie Joy O. Damiles)
