March 30, 2015, General Santos City - After series of orientation, consultative-workshop, and training for household enumerators and municipal EWS team, the Municipality of T’boli is now ready to establish Early Warning System on Food and Nutrition Security (EWS-FNS). The purpose of establishing Early Warning System is to enable the community to identify and address different problems that affect the ability of a community and households to obtain sufficient foods relative to their needs.

To further prepare the team on EWS-FNS, training for household level enumerators and municipal EWS team was conducted on March 17–18, 2015 and March 19–20, 2015 respectively held at Tierra Montana Hotel, Gen. Santos City.

On the household level training, the Rural Health Midwives, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Barangay Health Workers from five sentinel barangays were trained on how to collect the primary data needed for decision-making. They were also oriented on how to properly conduct weight and height taking.

While on the municipal level training, the participants were oriented on the indicators that affect food security and nutrition in their area, how to process the primary and secondary data, analyze, interpret and recommend possible courses of action that will address food insecurity. The training was facilitated by Ms. Alona E. Teo, Nutrition Officer II from Nutrition Surveillance Division of National Nutrition Council Central Office assisted by the technical staff of NNC Region XII, Ms. Gladys Mae S. Fernandez, Nutrition Officer III, Ms. Risa Joy D. Bautista, Nutrition Officer I and Ms. Leah Fe Utlang, Nutrition Officer I

The practicum for household enumerators was held at Barangay Talcon, T’boli, South Cotabato, to enable them to be familiarized with the survey tool in gathering the primary data.

The municipal team formulated their workplan involving the key activities for their EWS-FNS and hoped that through this system, this will help improve the nutrition situation of the municipality. SB Chair on Health and Nutrition, Mr. Ronnie Dela Peña is the team leader agreed by the team. Data gathering will commence on the second week of April 2015 and every quarter thereafter.