Cebu City - Cebu Doctors’ University - Department of Nutrition and Dietetics under the College of Arts and Sciences band with National Nutrition Council Region VII for their Public Health Nutrition Internship.
As issues pertaining to public health nutrition become increasingly complex, especially a need of Nutrition Officers in the different Local Government Units; those who wish to enter this field must need the basic education and experience to meet the challenges. Public health nutrition internships are a great venue to gain work experience, learn new skills and hone the knowledge they have gained during theoretical classes. This internship will have the potential to influence the course of students’ post-academic careers in public health and will potentially lead them to future employment opportunities.
The nine (9) BSND students will be assigned in Minglanilla, Cebu where they will cover Barangays Tunghaan, Tubod, Tungkil, and Vito. Prior to deployment, the students were given an orientation on 12 April 2022. The orientation was spearheaded by NO I Gab Flores as the NNC R7 internship coordinator to handle the interns. The session started with ND II James Aaron Perez, formally introducing NNC as the country’s policymaking and coordinating body on nutrition, NNC mandates, major programs, and its governing board. He also explained the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2017-2022 and the plans in combating stunting, and other forms of malnutrition in the country. He was then followed by ND II Franz Ontina, discussing Nutrition Program Management especially in the Barangay level as the interns will be directly working in the barangays. NO I Gab Flores then gave the interns their practicum requirements. The orientation was joined by CDU DND Chair John Rafael Arañas and internship coordinator Eldie Gugugdan.
On 13 April 2022, the interns made a courtesy call with NNC 7’s RNPC, Dr. Parolita A. Mission who welcomed them to the public health life. She also encouraged them to join the public health path when they graduate and be part of a more diverse and better trained public health workforce. The students also paid a courtesy visit to MNAO Dr. Mae M. Vicente and MNPC Ria Bacus. They also met the BNSs of the barangay where they will be assigned.
The interns officially started their practicum on 25 April 2022, wherein the group had their courtesy call with the MNC Chair and Mayor Elanito “Lani” Peña as well as the barangay officials of the four chosen barangays.
Aside from helping the barangays prepare and implement the Barangay Nutrition Action Plans, they will also showcase nutrition advocacy thru the existing radio programs of NNC 7 over DYLA-AM for Aksyon Para sa Nutrisyon (Cebuano version of One Nutrition, One Nation) and over DYSS-Super Radyo for Nutri-Game Apil Na. // ND II James Aaron Perez, RND
