Cebu City – Some 18 students will be deployed in Mandaue City barangays after they were given orientation on the nutrition program.

The orientation was given by Dr. Parolita A. Mission, Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC 7 to Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics students of the University of San Carlos last 10 February 2014 at the Narra Conference Room, DOH – CHD 7, Cebu City.

To equip the students field exposures at the barangay level, the orientation focused on the background of the National Nutrition Council, the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition, Nutrition Program Planning and Management and the Barangay Nutrition Committee. The objectives were to broaden knowledge of students in gathering data as basis of their nutrition assessments; to better understand the framework for nutrition planning; to define nutrition program management; and, to explain the relevance of understanding nutrition program management to the roles and functions of Barangay Nutrition Committee (BNC).

It was stressed that the nutritionist at the local level should know the status of the BNC, presence of the Barangay Plan of Action for Nutrition, nutrition situation of the barangay, nutrition and related programs and projects, budgetary support extended to projects, extent of organization for BNCs.

Meanwhile, it was explained that the nutritionist at the local level must identify resource persons who could be tapped to call for a BNC meeting. The nutritionist must also be able to review documents available, consult key informants in the locality, visit sitios and consult purok leaders and barangay people on how to improve nutrition efforts, and hold dialogues with Barangay Captain to discuss directions for nutrition. /DFB