PALO, Leyte - The municipality of Guiuan in Eastern Samar kicked off its series of activities in commemoration of the 48th Nutrition Month (NM) celebration.

This year’s NM theme is “New Normal na Nutrition, Sama-samang Gawan ng Solusyon”.

The municipality shun from the usual motorcade but instead hanged tarpaulins in various offices and barangays. Apart from hanging streamers and tarpaulins, the municipality invited heads of offices, various national government agencies, non-government organizations and barangay captains to attend the First 1000 Days (F1KD) Advocacy Forum.

Before the F1KD input, Dr. Socorro Flores welcomed the participants and elucidated on the theme of the celebration. She said that constituents should be adapted with new normal as we shift from COVID 19 pandemic to endemic.

After which, Malou A. Evardone, Municipal Nutrition Action Officer, made an eye opener of nutrition situation of the municipality. She also disclosed top 10 Barangays with the high magnitude of stunting, wasting, underweight and overweight and obesity. The presentation drew a huge scream from the audience particularly the barangay captains present.

After the presentation of the municipal and barangay nutrition situations, Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr., NNC 8 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator discussed R.A 11148 or the “Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Magnanay Act”.

RA 11148 was enacted into law last 29 November 2018 as “An Act Scaling Up the National and Local Health and Nutrition Programs Through A Strengthened Integrated Strategy for Maternal, Neonatal, Child Health and Nutrition in the First One Thousand (1000) Days of Life, Appropriating Funds Therefore, and for Other”.

The first 1000 days of life according to Dr. Dotollo between a woman's pregnancy and her child's second birthday is a unique period of opportunity when the foundations for optimum health and development across the lifespan are established.

He further shared to all barangay captains to put on their Barangay Nutrition Action Plans (BNAPs) programs, projects and activities related to F1KD back up by appropriate barangay resolution ordinance to support the BNAPs.

He also addressed to the Budget Officer to give incentives to the BNSs on top of their barangay honorarium. Likewise, to support for capability building activities of said community volunteers.

Towards the end of the advocacy forum barangay captains expressed their gratitude to the MHO and MNAO for organizing such activity and for the speaker to shed light on PPAs particularly focused on F1KD.

They vowed to the municipal nutrition committee to conduct Barangay Nutrition Action Planning workshop. #RNPC-CPD