Cebu City - Fifty five participants coming from 35 non-government organizations operating in Central Visayas vowed to scale up their nutrition program implementation in their areas of coverage and support the Phil. Plan of Action for Nutrition. Their commitment were firmed up during the 2014 Regional Non-Government Organization (NGO) Forum held at the Cebu Grand Hotel, North Escario St., Cebu City on 30 September 2014. Themed "Strengthening GO-NGO Partnership for Nutrition Improvement in Central Visayas", the forum was convened by the National Nutrition Council Region VII with World Vision Development Foundation Inc. as co-convener.

Divided into technical sessions tailored to help participants understand the nutrition program implementation in Region 7 including its successes and gaps, the forum was also attended by the members of the Regional Nutrition Committee – Technical Working Group and some representatives from the local government units. The first session discussed about the overview of the nutrition situation in the region by Dr. Maria Socorro M. Entera, DMO V and former MCH Coordinator of DOH 7. The second session tackled the updated Philippine Plan Action for Nutrition 2014-2016 by Dr. Parolita A. Mission, NPC, NNC 7. The thirdsession elaborated on the role of NGOs in the operationalization of the updated PPAN 2014-2016 by Ms. Dyan Aimee M. Rodriguez, Advocacy Coordinator of ACF International-Philippine Mission.

After which the participants had a panel discussion about responsible NGO leadership and engagement in nutrition initiatives, innovations, and scaling-up nutrition action experiences, lessons learned and prospects. Panel members included Dr. Dainah C. Fajardo of Engender Health - Visayas Project; Mr. Celso M. Lumaad of Feed the Children, Phil.; Dr. Romelie Camiling of Kalusugan ng Mag-ina, Inc. and Dr. Yvonne S. Duque of World Vision Development Foundation. Panel of reactors included Mayor Democrito M. Diamante of Tuburan and President of League of Mayors of the Phil. Cebu Chapter; Dr. Shelbay G. Blanco, MNAO of Bojoon and President of Cebu Association of Nutrition Action Officers; Ms. Jelome S. Manalu, Business Development Officer of Adventist Development Relief Association and Ms. Anya Y. Martinez, Faculty Member of the Department of Nutrition and Dietitics, University of San Carlos. A workshop then ensued where each NGOidentified areas of commitments/investments, affirmed these commitments and suggested mechanism for strengthening GO-NGO partnership for nutrition action. The workshop was facilitated by ACF's Ms. Aimee Rodriguez.

The body agreed on the need to converge as a group with World Vision as a lead and core group members coming from Feed the Children, J. King Foundation, Justice Peace Integrity of Creation and Ramon Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. Most of the NGOs committed to work along advocacy, communication and social mobilization. Since most of them are emersed in the communities they are working, they see their significant role in raising the awareness at the household level of the importance of nutrition and working with leaders at the local level to ensure that nutrition is prioritized by both current and future leaders. Mapping of NGO lanscape in the region, aligning their programs, projects and activities with PPAN priority actions and reaching out and coordinating with other NGOs  to ensure that they are aligned with the regional priorities are their way forward. The forum ended by the presentation of the workshop outputs, synthesis and next steps by Ms. Eureka P. Fuentes, Health and Nutrition Specialist of Visayas World Vision Development Foundation Inc.

With the vibrant ang meaningful engagement of NGOs in Region VII, it is forseen that nutrition interventions can be scaled up for nutrition improvement in Central Visayas.// Cleo Christine Jomuad, CTU DevCom Intern