In times of emergency, mitigating hunger and malnutrition must be one of the priorities of every Local Nutrition Cluster (LNC) to avoid further nutritional consequences. Thus, equipping the LNC members on Nutrition in Emergency (NiE) is necessary. NiE protects the nutritional status of vulnerable groups affected by emergencies. 

Tacurong City's Local Government Unit (LGU), together with Zuellig Family Foundation (ZFF) and National Nutrition Council (NNC) XII partnered to conduct Nutrition in Emergencies – Information Management (NiE-IM) training among the LNC members to further strengthen their competencies and to be more effective on integrating nutrition service delivery and inter-sectoral referral methods during emergencies. The said training was actively participated by the CNC members from: City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC), City Agriculture Office (CAO), Dept. of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), City Health Office (CHO), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Mayor’s Office and City Nutrition Office (CNO) and  Brgy. Nutrition Scholar (BNS) President and representative from Brgy. Health Worker (BHW) held on March 23-25, 2021 at Dolores Lake Resort, Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.

The training included wide range of topics along Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (DRMM) and Cluster approach, Introduction to NiE, Cross-cutting concerns (Nutritional Assessment, Information, Management, Risk Communication, Health promotion) and Disaster Risk Reduction and Management – Health – Nutrition in Emergencies (DRRM-H-NiE) Plan. The participants were able to formulate data gathering and analysis. Hence, at the end of the training the DRRM-H-NiE plan of the City was drafted.

The LNC of Tacurong City greatly appreciated the training as this is timely and relevant in this time of uncertainty. CNAO Rogelio Garcia said “This training is just a start, this training is for us to be equipped and be ready to address possible challenges in times of emergencies or disaster. He further committed to accomplish their next steps or re-entry plan before the end of the year.”

Further, the CNC was encouraged to convene and enhance their draft DRMM-H-NiE Plan so that it could be implemented effectively, as they pledged to carry out their duties and responsibilities as members of the CNC. The training ended with the members committing their time and expertise for the Nutrition Cluster.

NNC is looking forward to having more LGUs trained on NiE-IM and to have more organized and functional Local Nutrition Cluster thereby leads to safer, adaptive and disaster resilient Filipino communities. (NO II Utlang/OIC-NPC Flores)

reference:NiE-IM Manual