Cebu City – Taking into consideration the calamities that have rocked and swept the islands of Region 7 recently, the Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) approved target adjustments in the updated Regional Nutrition Strategic Plan (RNSP) last 20 February 2014 during the 1st Semester RNC Full Committee Meeting held at Club Ultima, Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City.

The RNSP 2012-2016 is a plan document which provides for specific strategies and actions of the RNC member agencies and local government units consistent with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition 2011 – 2016. The plan is also anchored in the Social Development Chapter of the Philippine Development Plan 2011-2016 and the Millennium Development Goal 1 of eradicating extreme poverty and hunger.

Presided by Mrs. Elizabeth P. Tabasa representing RNC Chair, DOH Regional Director Jaime S. Bernadas, with RNC Secretary and NNC 7 NPC Parolita A. Mission and the thirteen attendees composed of representatives from the different national line agencies, the group discussed the hurdles and the appropriate actions with the change of targets for the year.

Also tackled during the meeting were the approval of the following agenda: RNC Workplan 2014, Requesting the DILG 7 to enjoin LGUs to designate Nutrition Officers or Nutrition Program Coordinators in support to the PPAN 2011-2016, Reconstituting the Regional Bantay Asin Task Force Region VII, Activities for the 2014 Nutrition Month Celebration and Convening the Regional Evaluation Team to Conduct MELLPI and BNS Evaluation.

The RNC member agencies also reiterated their support to adopt the regional nutrition strategic plan and include it in their programming so as to have complementation of efforts in curbing malnutrition. With all these efforts, the active involvement of member agencies, local government units and all nutrition stakeholders in the region, RNC hopes to improve further the nutrition landscape in the region. // DFB