ORMOC CITY – The Harmonised Initiatives of Media for the Spread of Good Nutrition in Region 8 (HIMSoG-8), the media-group partner of National Nutrition Council in Eastern Visayas, will coordinate first with the Mayor’s Office in local government units (LGUs) in its targeting for the Media-Nutrition Caravans for year 2019.

This came was consensus of the membership during a Program Implementation Review (PIR) of the group held on December 21, 2018 at the Sabin Resort Hotel, here. The one-day event headed by HIMSoG President Antonio Pueblos extended as well as 4th Quarter Meeting, 8th Anniversary and Christmas Party.

Every Year HIMSoG-8 conducts two Media-Nutrition Caravans to a chosen cluster of at least three localities in Region 8 that are noted for high incidence of malnutrition, and also with those outstanding good practices on nutrition program implementation. The caravan is a most favoured group activity, to first-hand seek out the rationale of the Nutrition Situation of the target locality--why it is lagging in health and nutrition. The practice is as well a measure to document the good practices of the localities which are doing well for other places to emulate.

It was found out that most of HIMSoG-8 scheduled caravans to targeted municipalities could not be followed and kept on being postponed--due to conflict of schedules with the local chief executives. It had been a practice constantly to coordinate the incoming activity with the Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) and for the MNAO to advice the mayor. For 2019 caravans the practice is going to be reversed by informing the mayor first, then the municipal health officer and then the MNAO after.

Further the caravan shall no longer be called as Media-Nutrition Caravan but as “HIMSoG Nutrition Caravan,” eliminating the word media--that seems to have a negative effect on some LCEs. (Jack C. Gadaingan)