Dauin, Negros Oriental – NNC 7 completes this year’s local nutrition action planning activities with an inter-province workshop with thirty-three attending LGUs from the provinces of Negros Oriental and Siquijor.

Heavy rains and typhoon threats did not hinder the 54 members of the local nutrition planning core groups from the two provinces from enthusiastically participating in the two-day planning workshop facilitated by NNC 7 with the assistance of the human resource for health and nutrition (HRH-Ns) in the provinces.

NNC 7 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Parolita A. Mission in her welcome remarks and discussion on the importance of investing in nutrition emphasized that nutrition is a multi-sectoral approach, and strategies and interventions must come from different sectors and that LGUs must first activate and functionalize their respective local nutrition committees to streamline the nutrition agenda and concerns among different local government sectors.

Participants were able to identify new outcome targets based on the national indicators and prioritize nutrition projects to be implemented in the next three years. NNC 7 through NO III Nasudi G. Soluta also presented the status of the LGU’s budget utilization for the past two years vis-à-vis their proposed and approved budget. This has given them a clearer guide on how much budget is to be proposed for 2023 to 2025.

Aside from the regional nutrition facilitators, NNC 7 also invited DBM 7 Chief Budget and Management Specialist Mr. Carlo S. Marat and DSWD RFO 7 PDO V for KALAHI-CIDDS Mr. Karl Vladimir C. Arbon to serve as resource persons on where the LGUs can possibly get budget for their nutrition programs.

The Negros Oriental and Siquijor province activity marked the end of the planning workshop series in the region for the year 2022. However, the effort does not end there as these LGUs are continuing their energies to finalize their local nutrition action plans and make sure that their priority programs will be approved, budgeted, and implemented. // DMO II Norre Jean V. delos Santos