19 August 2022, Cagayan de Oro City – A total of 13 local government units (LGU) from Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, and Misamis Oriental areas crafted their Local Nutrition Action Plans (LNAP) for 2023-2025. This was done during the LNAP Formulation Workshop held 10-12 August 2022 at De Luxe Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City.
The objective of the workshop is for the LGUs to formulate LNAPs and integrate nutrition in their local development plans and budgets, and to facilitate and ensure funding of nutrition programs, especially activities in the First 1000 Days.
The National Nutrition Council (NNC) X convened the following LGUs: Camiguin Province, and municipalities of Mahinog and Sagay; Misamis Occidental municipalities Bonifacio, Calamba, Concepcion, Lopez Jaena, Panaon, and Sinacaban; and Misamis Oriental municipalities Opol, Gitagum, Talisayan, and Medina. A total of 41 participants composed of the Nutrition Action Officers, Planning and Development Coordinators, Budget Officers, Health Officers, and representatives attended the workshop.
During the first day of the workshop, Department of Health Center for Health Development-Northern Mindanao Regional Director and Regional Nutrition Committee Chair Dr. Jose R. Llacuna, Jr. graced the opening program, while Department of the Interior and Local Government X Regional Director Arnel M. Agabe gave an Inspirational Message.
Dr. Llacuna said that no health and nutrition program can be successfully implemented without a good plan. The DOH regional chief also emphasized the need to use validated, quality data for planning.
On the other hand, Dir. Agabe said that for the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) to be fully operationalized, the following should be undertaken: 1) mobilizing Local Chief Executives (LCEs) and their LGUs to improve planning and management of LNAPs, 2) acquiring additional budget and reduce restrictions of personnel staffing to support the establishment of nutrition offices and adequate staff, and 3) increasing the workforce and financial resources for nutrition. Dir. Agabe called on the NAOs, Planning and Development Coordinators, Budget Officers, and Health Officers to coordinate and ensure that the LNAP is harmonized with the LGU plans.
Throughout the three-day activity, the following sessions were facilitated by NNC X, through the help of DOH CHD-NM Nutritionist-Dietitians Telesfora G. Madelo, with Human Resource for Health NDs Junahzel Bantaculo and Don Art Timothy Gultia:
- Session 0: Introduction to the Workshop
- Session 1: Why Invest in Nutrition: Building Pandemic Resilient LGUs through Local Investments in Nutrition
- Session 2: Review of existing LGU documents (CDP, LDIP/AIP)
- Session 3: Formulation of LNAP for 2023-2025
- Session 4. Estimating Budgets for Nutrition
- Session 5. Review and Presentation of the draft LNAP 2023-2025 and Budgets
- Session 6: Re-entry plan
A Local Nutrition Action Plan is a three-year plan that contains the LGU’s assessment of the local nutrition and related situation, the objectives of the nutrition programs, workplan to implement programs, projects and activities, monitoring and evaluation scheme, estimate of budgetary requirements and arrangements for organization and coordination.
Workshop outputs done per session formed part of the draft LNAP 2023-2025 of the LGUs.
The participants expressed their gratitude for the workshop, especially those from the non-health/nutrition offices as they have gained better appreciation and understanding on why nutrition should be a priority in their LGU.
Following the workshop, the LGUs through the local nutrition committees are expected to finalize their draft outputs for approval of their local leaders, and for integration in the local development plans and budgets. (Nutrition Officer III Sheena Marie G. Talle / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. / 09631091098)
