NO I Laurito joined the first Regional Inter-Agency Committee (RIAC) for Indigenous People (IP) Health meeting in 2021 last July 13 at Greenstate Convention Center, Koronadal City. The meeting was organized by the Department of Health – Center for Health Development SOCCSKSARGEN Region in coordination with the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) XII and members of the RIAC for IP Health which includes the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) XII, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) XII and National Nutrition Council (NNC) XII.
The meeting orients the new and old members on AO 2020-0023 or the Guidelines on Identifying GIDA and strengthening their Health Systems, DOH-NCIP-DILG Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-01, and Culture Sensitivity. Further, Ms. Glemao, the new program manager of RIAC for IP Health, requested to state the programs and services that can be offered by each agency in the next IP visits and caravans.
Ms. Laurito shared the existing programs and activities of NNC as well as the upcoming Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) that will increase the simultaneous utilization of nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive interventions and improve key behaviors and practices known to reduce stunting in targeted local government units (LGUs).
The meeting also served as a venue to plan out activities for the remaining quarters. The body agreed to have an IP visit on the third week of August and October for the 3rd and 4th quarters, respectively.
NNC XII as an active member of the RIAC for IP Health committed to support future activities that would address identified gaps and courses of action to make better the provision and access of health and social services of the Indigenous Cultural Communities/ Indigenous People (ICCs/IPs) in the region. (NOILaurito/OIC-NPCFlores)
