Guindulman, Bohol - The Municipal Nutrition Committee of Guindulman produced 19 newly trained Barangay Nutrition Scholars after they conducted a training on the Basic Course for BNS. This was held at Sunkist Resort, Guindulman on 13-14 December 2022.

The training was spearheaded by the municipal nutrition action officer/municipal nutrition program coordinator Ms. Mhay Licayan with the full backing from their MNC Chair and Municipal Mayor Albino Balo. the. According to the National Nutrition Council, the Barangay Nutrition Scholar (BNS) Program is a human resource development strategy of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, which involves the recruitment, training, deployment and supervision of volunteer workers called the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS). Presidential Decree No. 1569 (1979) mandated the deployment of at least one (1) BNS in every barangay in the country to monitor the nutritional status of children and other nutritionally at-risk groups and link them with nutrition and nutrition-related service providers. PD 1569 also mandated the NNC to administer the program in cooperation with local government units.

DNPCs Glenda Grafilo, Ms. Ardin Abrea, and Ms. Glenda Papelares of Bohol Provincial Nutrition Committee Secretariat facilitated the training. The sessions covered  the legal mandate and justification for the BNS program,  the fundamentals of food and nutrition, the abilities required to carry out the roles and responsibilities of BNSs, the management of the nutrition program at the barangay level and in the context of local development systems, and  the roles and responsibilities of BNSs in the context of nutrition program management at the barangay level.

The program included lectures, group discussions, role-playing exercises, and games.. At the conclusion of the course, the participants were made aware of their responsibilities and roles, but more importantly, they could now describe how a  nutrition program in the barangay will be managed. // DMO II Jenelyn A. Guillena, RND