4 May 2022, Cagayan de Oro City – The National Nutrition Council (NNC) X continually visits local government units (LGUs) in the region to conduct technical assistance (TA) and advocate the strengthening of the nutrition program in their localities. Last 26-27 April 2022, NNC X visited the LGUs of Sinacaban, Jimenez and Tudela, Misamis Occidental.
NNC X Nutrition Program Coordinator (NPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez together with Nutrition Officers (NOs) Sheena Marie G. Talle and Arlie Joy O. Damiles facilitated the TA where a total of 32 Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC) members from the aforementioned LGUs attended. Misamis Occidental Provincial Nutrition Action Office (PNAO) led by OIC-PNAO Marichu G. Tijing accompanied NNC X.
NNC X was able to pay a courtesy visit to Mr. Roger Yabo, Executive Secretary of LGU Jimenez, and Mayor Samuel Parojinog of Tudela, Misamis Occidental.
During the TA, NNC X introduced the NNC, and discussed the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition. The municipal nutrition situation based on the Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus Reports 2019-2021 was also presented.
Another highlight of the TA was the advocacy for the creation of a local nutrition office and the hiring of nutrition staff. Sinacaban Municipal Planning and Development Coordinator (MPDC) Gillen Chiong and Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer (MDRRMO) Yvonne Apao committed to lobby the hiring of NO I to their Local Chief Executive (LCE). Likewise, Tudela MNC will advocate the creation of the nutrition office and hiring of a plantilla position for MNAO to LCE and Sangguniang Bayan. Meanwhile, Jimenez MNC shared that the hiring of NO I was included in their 2024 Devolution Transition Plan.
MNAOs Mylen Dominguez of Sinacaban and Gloria Magallon of Jimenez also presented the programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) for all nutrition-specific, -sensitive, and enabling programs identified in their 2022 Municipal Nutrition Action Plans (MNAPs). NNC X and Misamis Occidental PNAO gave suggestions to further improve their respective MNAPs, their implementation schemes, and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms.
The LGUs planned to conduct trainings to further capacitate their nutrition workers. Training on Nutrition in Emergencies (NiE), Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM), and Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) Refresher Course are among the identified capacity building activities of the LGUs.
The MNCs were grateful for the assistance provided by NNC X. They noted all the recommendations and committed to enhance and improve. Also, the MNCs expressed their support to strengthen the nutrition program implementation in their municipality.
The Misamis Occidental PNAO will conduct follow-through actions and further monitoring for the three LGUs. With the support and commitment of the LGUs, NNC X eyes for a strengthened nutrition program in the entire region, thereby achieving the #OneRegioninNutrition. (NO II Arlie Joy O. Damiles)
