31 March 2021, Davao City – The NAOPA XI Officers and P/C/MNAOs conducted its first virtual meeting for the year. The meeting aims to update the Regional NAOs Association Officers and follow through on some previous agreements, despite restrictions in physical and face to face contacts.
Among the matters discussed in the meeting were the 2021 Nutrition Month Campaign Strategy with the theme: “Malnutrisyon Patuloy na Labanan, First 1000 Days tutukan”. NO II John Warry Fernandez discussed the rationale behind the theme and its objectives. He then said that NAOs are requested to be part of the campaign by conducting activities that will increase understanding of PPAN and first 1000 days, facilitate collaboration among stakeholders and generate interactions among stakeholders relative to the nutrition month campaign. He then assured the group that the NNC XI Secretariat will disseminate all material relative to the 2021 Nutrition Month Campaign via the official webpage and Facebook account.
NO I Charlane Jickain the presented some important provisions of RNC Resolution No. 1 series of 2021: Organization of the Regional Bantay ASIN Task Force (RBATF), which was approved on March 25, 2021, in particular, its purpose and composition, for information and dissemination. She continued by saying that organization of said task force aims to further strengthen the management of the salt iodization program in Davao region. A Regional Bantay Asin Task Force of Region XI will be organized with DOH-Region XI as chair and NNC XI as co-chair. This technical working group will monitor, manage, and coordinate the salt iodization program in the region.
PNC Alma L. Cosico presented and discussed some updates on the DSP for Pregnant and Children or the Tutok Kainan Supplementation Program. She explained the program’s objectives, updates, guidelines, reporting system and messages for mothers. PNC Alma highlighted the LGUs critical role in the implementation of the program, particularly in the conduct of orientation and social preparation activities of the members of the city/municipal and barangay nutrition committees and beneficiaries.
The Regional Nutrition Committee XI has already adopted the said program thru the RNC Resolution No. 3 series of 2021: “Adopting the Dietary Supplementation Program (Tutok Kainan Supplementation Program) of National Nutrition Council for Pregnant Women and 6-23 Months Old Children in Davao Region”, on March 25, 2021.
Finally, RNPC Dr. Teresa L. Ungson presented the Rationale and Background behind the RNC Resolution No. 2 series of 2021: “Adopting the Policy Statement on Nutrition Programs for Government Workers in Davao Region”, also approved last March 25, 2021. She explained that a nutrition program for government workers is consistent to the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022, particularly the nutrition specific programs Nutrition Promotion for Behavior Change Program and Overweight and Obesity Prevention and Management Program and among other existing policies and programs. She continued by saying that addressing the poor health and nutritional status of government workers requires the provision of services e.g. promotion of healthy diets, improving food environment, providing healthy settings in workplace and changes in lifestyle, thus, the need for this Resolution.
Other matters discussed were Contribution for NAOPA XI, Opening of Federation Bank Account, Upcoming MELLPI Activities in the Region, NIE-IM Training and a run-down on other six (6) recently approved RNC Resolutions.
The meeting was presided by Mr. Jan Dmitri Sator, President of NAOPA XI Federation and attended by the NAOPA XI Federation Officers. /AET
