Region VII

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 14 October 2014

Cebu City - The National Nutrition Council 7 as member of the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children participated the Awareness Walk for Children’s Rights in celebrating the 22^nd National Children’s Month (NCM) on Saturday 04 October 2014. The walkers assembled at Fuente Osmeña Circle at 6:30 a.m., passed through Osmeña Blvd., and P. Burgos Street and the walk ended at Plaza Sugbo, Cebu City. A short program took place upon the arrival of all participants.

Close to 300 participated the Awareness Walk. The NNC 7 team was led by Dr. Parolita A. Mission, Nutrition Program Coordinator together with NNC personnel including Ms. Norre Jean V. Delos Santos, Ms. Eula Althea R. Mayol, Ms. Michele L. Nedruda, Mr. Eduardo B. Baguio and USPF intern Ms. Maria Clieondale A. Nillama. Other RSCWC member agencies who attended the activity were representatives from the regional office of DOH, DILG, DOLE, DA, NEDA, PCUP, DOJ, PNP, CHR, NGOs and faith-based organizations. The officers of the School Student Government and School Pupil Government were also present during the celebration. The activity was spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare and Development Region VII.

The 2014 NCM celebration with the theme of “Bata Kasali ka, Ikaw ay Mahalaga” highlights children’s right to participation and encourages stakeholders to promote and advocate for children’s participation in decision making process at all levels especially at home, family and community. // Glomel Jane Sanchez, BSDevCom Intern

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 14 October 2014

Calape, Bohol – Twenty-five (25) fully trained and empowered women of Barangay San Isidro, Calape, Bohol in Central Visayas are ready to take on their tasks as community mobilizers and peer counsellors on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF). This was so after the women underwent a short course on IYCF last 8-11 October 2014.

Hailing from the different sitios of San Isidro, these volunteers, mostly mothers, have not only re-evaluated their current IYCF practices but are now determined to help other women know about their and their children’s rights to good nutrition.

Chosen as the Bohol Province’s ‘model barangay’ for IYCF community mobilization and peer counsellor, Barangay San Isidro is one of the forty-three bara
ngays of Calape. The municipality is Region VII’s first Nutrition Honour Awardee in CY 2000. The municipality has its own rural health unit and an LGU community hospital, Calape Mother and Child Hospital, located within its premises, factors that enable easy access to women and children seeking IYCF support.

Following the four-day course, where they were reviewed on basic nutrition and infant and young and child feeding practices, taught the different counselling techniques, and given a chance to apply the things that they have learned in the practical sessions, these newly trained peer counsellors have declared their intent to make sure that women and their children know their rights to good nutrition.

Funded by the National Nutrition Council and facilitated by the NNC RO 7 staff and locally IYCF trained Municipal Nutrition Committee members, the training were held at the San Isidro Barangay Hall. Barangay Nutrition Committee members were also present during the opening and closing ceremonies and have also voiced their commitment as IYCF team members.

NNC 7 will be conducting three more trainings of this kind, in other provinces throughout the month of October.// NGS

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 15 November 2014

Cebu City – The Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Committee approved the Regional Nutrition in Emergencies Plan last 30 October 2013 during the Regional Nutrition Committee Special Full Committee Meeting held at the Club Ultima, Crown Regency Suites and Towers, Osmeña Boulevard, Cebu City.

Dr. Parolita A. Mission, Nutrition Program Coordinator of the National Nutrition Council Region VII who presided the meeting in behalf of RNC Chair and DOH RO 7 Jaime S. Bernadas who was ill during the time. Present during meeting to approve the Plan where representatives from the regional offices of DepEd, DSWD, POPCOM, FTCP, NEDA, DOH and representatives from Bohol Province and Cebu City.

The plan focuses on three (3) areas: Manage nutritional status of affected population and prevent further worsening, Monitor and evaluate nutrition interventions management in affected communities and Develop sustainable interventions for the recovery of affected. This plan lays out the activities to be undertaken and the specific timeframe with the agencies that would work hand in hand to do such activites which includes community mobilization, capacity building for frontline nutrition workers, management of Severe Acute Malnutrition, management of Moderate Acute Malnutrition, documentation reports and good practices, inventory of resources and livelihood interventions.

The Regional Nutrition in Emergencies Plan was formulated by the Regional Technical Working Group. //dfb

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 31 October 2014

Cebu City - Fifty five participants coming from 35 non-government organizations operating in Central Visayas vowed to scale up their nutrition program implementation in their areas of coverage and support the Phil. Plan of Action for Nutrition. Their commitment were firmed up during the 2014 Regional Non-Government Organization (NGO) Forum held at the Cebu Grand Hotel, North Escario St., Cebu City on 30 September 2014. Themed "Strengthening GO-NGO Partnership for Nutrition Improvement in Central Visayas", the forum was convened by the National Nutrition Council Region VII with World Vision Development Foundation Inc. as co-convener.

Divided into technical sessions tailored to help participants understand the nutrition program implementation in Region 7 including its successes and gaps, the forum was also attended by the members of the Regional Nutrition Committee – Technical Working Group and some representatives from the local government units. The first session discussed about the overview of the nutrition situation in the region by Dr. Maria Socorro M. Entera, DMO V and former MCH Coordinator of DOH 7. The second session tackled the updated Philippine Plan Action for Nutrition 2014-2016 by Dr. Parolita A. Mission, NPC, NNC 7. The thirdsession elaborated on the role of NGOs in the operationalization of the updated PPAN 2014-2016 by Ms. Dyan Aimee M. Rodriguez, Advocacy Coordinator of ACF International-Philippine Mission.

After which the participants had a panel discussion about responsible NGO leadership and engagement in nutrition initiatives, innovations, and scaling-up nutrition action experiences, lessons learned and prospects. Panel members included Dr. Dainah C. Fajardo of Engender Health - Visayas Project; Mr. Celso M. Lumaad of Feed the Children, Phil.; Dr. Romelie Camiling of Kalusugan ng Mag-ina, Inc. and Dr. Yvonne S. Duque of World Vision Development Foundation. Panel of reactors included Mayor Democrito M. Diamante of Tuburan and President of League of Mayors of the Phil. Cebu Chapter; Dr. Shelbay G. Blanco, MNAO of Bojoon and President of Cebu Association of Nutrition Action Officers; Ms. Jelome S. Manalu, Business Development Officer of Adventist Development Relief Association and Ms. Anya Y. Martinez, Faculty Member of the Department of Nutrition and Dietitics, University of San Carlos. A workshop then ensued where each NGOidentified areas of commitments/investments, affirmed these commitments and suggested mechanism for strengthening GO-NGO partnership for nutrition action. The workshop was facilitated by ACF's Ms. Aimee Rodriguez.

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 15 November 2014

Cebu City – Dr. Florentino S. Solon, the first Executive Director of the National Nutrition Council and Founding Director of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines challenged the District/City/Municipal Nutrition Program Coordinators to implement Scale Up Nutrition (SUN) in their respective local government units. The “Father of Nutrition” was the Special Guest and gave an inspirational message during the 2^nd Regional Congress of Nutrition Coordinators held in Cebu City recently.

SUN movement is a global push for action and investment to improve maternal and child nutrition. To date, the SUN movement has more than 100 global stakeholders and over 40 participating countries including the Philippines who recently joined the movement.

The Congress’ theme “Strengthening Capability of District/City/Municipal Nutrition Coordinators for Nutrition Improvement in Nutrition Emergencies” focuses on developing and capacitating the nutrition coordinators to be ready in times of nutrition emergencies. NPC Parolita A. Mission in her keynote message encouraged the delegates to strengthen their capabilities to carry on the task of improving the nutritional well-being of the people in their respective communities not only during normal times but in times of disasters by continually improving their Competencies, maintaining the right Attitude towards work, Focus on the moment and ensure quality Execution of their nutrition plan or embracing CAFE. She also elaborated on the roles of D/C/MNPCs especially during disasters.

The annual event was organized by the Nutrition Program Coordinators Association of Region VII (NPCAR 7) with the support from the National Nutrition Council Region VII. The objectives of the Congress were to: update D/C/MNPCs on developments along nutrition and related policies and programs; 2) enhance the knowledge, skills and attitudes of nutrition coordinators to improve their performance; and 3) provide a venue for the members of the NPCAR 7, Inc. to convene into a general assembly to discuss various concerns of the association. NPCAR 7, Inc. is the regional association of district, city and municipal nutrition program coordinators of Region VII duly registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission. //DFB

Details: Category: Region 7; Published: 31 October 2014

Cebu City – After a year of hiatus, the Nutrition Program Coordinators Association of Region 7 (NPCAR 7) made its come back with a triumphant second congress on 16 October 2014 at the Northwinds Hotel, Cebu City.

One of youngest of the National Nutrition Council Region 7’s networks, NPCAR 7, composed of Provincial, District, City and Municipal Nutrition Program Coordinators all over Central Visayas had their first Regional Congress in Tagbilaran City on 12 October 2012, and had intended to follow through with a second congress in 2013 but have fallen through because of the Bohol Earthquake and the Super Typhoon Yolanda at the end of last year.

Now coming back with a vigor, the NPCAR 7 have prepared a programme loaded on technical updates to equip the nutrition program coordinators with knowledge and skills playing on the theme: Strengthening Capability of District/City/Municipal Nutrition Coordinators for Nutrition Improvement in Nutrition Emergencies.

Power-packed with seasoned speakers such as Dr. Parolita A. Mission of NNC 7 and Dr. Florentino S. Solon of the Nutrition Center of the Philippines, the programme covered topics such as Organization of Nutrition Events, Leadership and Management of the Nutrition Program, Nutrition in Emergencies: What to do and Integrating the Nutrition Action Plan and Emergency Preparedness Plan in the Local Development Plan .

With more than 50 participants, which is more than expected, the NPCAR 7 is hoping to institutionalize the event into an annual one in the next few years. //NGS