TACLOBAN CITY — Two local leaders in this town are now National Nutrition Council’s 8 new allies in championing nutrition. Hon. Mayor Hermenegildo C. Culpa and Sangguniang Bayan (SB) on Health and also the President of the Philippine Councilors League (PCL) - Southern Leyte Chapter, lead to support the nutrition program implementation in the Municipality of Padre Burgos and the entire Province of Southern Leyte.
In a 2 –day Workshop on Integrating Nutrition in the 2021 Annual Investment Program (AIP) held on 8-9 October 2020, the fifth class municipality of Padre Burgos was able to identify and craft programs, projects, and activities suited to the need of the population, particularly the woman and children.
In his message, the second termer Mayor shared that what we wanted to focus on the plans that are for the less and underprivileged. The good Mayor is referring to elevate the standard of the poor by prioritizing them and making them the focus of the plan. In his term as a Mayor, the Municipal Nutrition Council was extended to include the involvement of Barangay Chairpersons, civil society organizations, and non-governmental organizations.
On the other hand, SB on Health Hon. Jonathan Lee Maraon, shared that his banner program is on the health and wellness of Burgosanon and the community of Southern Leyte. Being the President of the PCL Southern Leyte, his team mobilizes a health caravan to the different local government units in the Province.
The Nutrition Planning Core Team was able to craft PPAs focusing on the Philippine Integrated Management on Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM), First 1,000 Days, nutrition-sensitive and enabling programs.
Hon. Maraon assured that related policies to include the adoption of RA11148 also known as the Kalusugan ng Mag-Nanay Act, the adoption of PIMAM, and the establishment of the First 1000 days are already lined up priority for the Sangguniang Bayan members to discuss.
In her closing message, Dr. Fretzie C. Tomimbang, the Municipal Health Officer and the same time Municipal Nutrition Action Officer, was thankful for the support provided by the nutrition planning core team especially to the good Mayor Culpa and Hon. Maraon. She emphasized that the support to the first 1000 days program is a leap towards the reduction of stunting and improvement of maternal and child programs in the municipality.
The two new allies in nutrition assured to lead in the promotion and advocacy of the nutrition implementation by making it sure that PPAs on nutrition are integrated into the annual budgets.#NASLabordo
