Pilar, Bohol – The municipality of Pilar in the province of Bohol reported a shortage of food and the subsequent increase in food prices. The scarcity of food was brought about by the reduced food production and/or damaged farm produce because of the massive flooding brought about by Super Typhoon Rai locally known as Odette that devastated the municipality and the province of Bohol and other parts of the region on 16 December 2021.
The information was shared by Pilar MNAO Angelito M. Busano of the Municipal Agriculture Office during the Local Nutrition Early Warning System for Food and Nutrition Security (LNEWS-FNS) Program Implementation Review conducted by the National Nutrition Council Region VII. The review held on 7 and 11 October 2022 via online platform was attended by a total of 28 participants representing all six LNEWS-FNS areas in the region including the delegates from the five sentinel barangays in each local government.
There are three food security pillars that have been acknowledged in the LNEWS-FNS. First is on food availability; second is food accessibility; and finally, food utilization. The local government of Pilar, spearheaded by the Municipal Mayor and chairman of the Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC), Hon. Engr. Wilson L. Pajo, addressed the changes in the food system due to COVID-19 and Typhoon Odette. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they have encountered difficulties in ensuring food security for their residents. This has been exacerbated by Super Typhoon Odette.
Despite these gaps and challenges, however, the MNC was able to prevent the deterioration of the nutritional status of their children aged 0 to 59 months and there have been no reported cases of communicable diseases, with the concerted effort of the members of the MNC. However, a substantial number of water supply facilities and sanitary toilets were destroyed as captured in the 2nd quarter to the 3rd quarter of the 2022 report, which needs to be repaired. The LNEWS-FNS core team of the municipality vowed to mobilize resources to pursue such repair as they believe that poor sanitation is linked to transmission of diarrhoeal diseases such as cholera and dysentery, as well as typhoid, intestinal worm infections, and polio and these conditions can worsen stunting and contributes to the spread of antimicrobial resistance. ND II Annie Claire B. Añasco, RND