Cebu Province - Every office in the government is led by someone who will manage (plan, organize, monitor/supervise, coordinate, and evaluate) the efforts of the team to achieve the goals and objectives of his/her unit. Ideally, the leader should have the acumen of his/her office and ought to have the technical expertise to ensure that the programs, projects, and activities are propelled to the right direction and achieve the expected results.
The nutrition program is no different. The Nutrition Action Officer (NAO), being the alter ego of the local chief executive who chairs the local nutrition committee plays a critical role in ensuring that the nutrition program is manage well to deliver quality nutrition services to its constituents especially the vulnerable sectors – the pregnant and lactating women, young children, the elderly, and people with disability.
In provinces, the Provincial Nutrition Action Officer (PNAO) is in the helm of the nutrition program. The City Nutrition Action Officer (CNAO), the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer and the Barangay Nutrition Action Officer (BNAO) lead the nutrition program in their respective levels. They are responsible in overseeing the activities of the Provincial, City, Municipal and Barangay Nutrition Committee, accordingly.
NAOs carries out their core functions in line with delivering nutrition services in the locality. Their performance is defined in eight (8) management dimensions including coordination, advocacy, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, resource generation, documentation and record keeping and capacity building.
Some local government units have full time NAOs who can focus on nutrition program. However, and particularly in Central Visayas, most are only designated with other equally important role and function in the LGU, that is the reason why program implementation is relatively anemic. It is ideal that provinces, cities, and municipalities also have a separate nutrition office. The nutrition office acts as the executive arm of the local nutrition committee. It provides both technical and secretariat support to the local nutrition committee. In some instances, it implements one or more nutrition programs or projects of the LGU. The full time NAO heads the nutrition office who has the responsibility and accountability of ensuring that the office fulfills its roles effectively and efficiently.
A full-time nutrition action officer is important in the different administrative levels of all LGUs so that the nutrition program will be properly planned, implemented, monitored, and evaluated, which will result to a healthier and nutritionally well communities. // ND II Irene Umagap, RND
