Cebu City – Twenty seven (27) new trainers were developed by NNC 7 to add to the existing pool of trainers on the Basic Course for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) after these trainees attended the Training of Trainers on Basic Course for BNSs. The training was held on 25 to 29 August, 2014 at the Cebu Grand Hotel, Cebu City. The new trainers consisting of Municipal Nutrition Program Coordinators (MNPCs) and some Municipal Nutrition Action Officers (MNAOs) from the municipalities of Bohol and Cebu Province will train the new BNSs in their respective municipalities.

The BNSs are among the core of individuals who deserve attention in terms of training and capability building. The deployment of at least one BNS in every barangay in the Philippines is mandated by Presidential Decree 1569. The BNSs are community-based volunteers who are tasked to identify, locate and monitor nutritionally at-risk children, assist in the delivery of nutrition and related services in their area of deployment and refer nutritionally at-risk families to service providers. Thus, they are recognized as one of the critical human resources that could contribute to the improvement of the barangay nutrition situation and the achievement of the goals of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition and, in turn, the Millennium Development Goals.

The five (5) day training was done to enhance the capacity of the newly appointed MNPCs as well as MNAOs in training the new BNSs in their own municipalities so that these BNSs will have common and basic knowledge and skills in barangay nutrition program management.

Ms. Nasudi G. Soluta, Nutrition Officer II of NNC 7, Ms. Florita Olandria, City Nutrition Program Coordinator of Mandaue City and Ms. Susan Y. Orpilla, Nutrition Officer III served as facilitators of the training.//DFB