PALO, Leyte – The City Nutrition Committee of Catablogan in Samar has unveiled its nutrition office logo that signals the creation of nutrition office with budget and creation of permanent plantilla positions in a span of 3 years starting this year.
This was a result of the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI PRO), conducted by the Provincial Nutrition Evaluation Team last year. The MELLPI result revealed several red tags in various nutrition indicators.
The first step in improving nutrition outcomes is passing a comprehensive nutrition code. The code specified among others creation of separate nutrition office, permanent nutrition plantilla positions and an incremental budget. Said code was passed and approved the Sanggunian Panglunsod in June 2022.
Meanwhile, a resolution for unveiling the nutrition office logo was finally approved on July 11, 2022, in its regular session. After its approval, immediately on the afternoon the unveiling of nutrition logo at the City Nutrition Office was done.
The unveiling last July 11, 2022 was attended by no less than Catbalogan City mayor Dexter Uy and the entire members of the Sangguniang Panglunsod.
Also present was all city departments heads, including city health and nutrition officials and some members of the local media.
Furthermore, National Nutrition Council 8 Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. was invited to give an inspirational message.
Dr. Dotollo commended the city’s leadership for coming up this milestone and worthy endeavor. He told the audience present that other LGUs not only in Samar, but the rest of the region can benchmark and showcase the efforts of the LGU and the city nutrition committee along these activities.
He also congratulated the city’s nutrition office under the leadership of CNAO Michelle Aquino for covering all the 57 barangays of city in terms of conduct of Operation Timbang.
Dr. Dotollo handed over to newly elected officials on Nutrition brochure which he in turn gave to Hon. Stephany Uy-Tan for her reference.
In a separate talk with SP Finance Committee Chairperson Hon. Stephany Uy-Tan, Dr. Dotollo said that the lady councilor clarified that the structure of the City Nutrition Office (CNO) will be under the City Health Office.
Dr. Dotollo explains to Hon. Uy-Tan that since they already have a nutrition code it is right to put the CNO structure under the office of the city mayor.
Moreover, Dr. Dotollo told her to prioritize this year the creation of City Nutrition Action Officer with equivalent plantilla position of Nutrition Officer V and Nutritionist-Dietitian II. Other nutrition staff will be on on job order while completing the nutrition staff compliment until 2024. According to Uy-Tan, said creation will be created and opened this year.
City Health Officer Dr. Ana Sophia R. Lim, a pediatrician by practice, who previously said that nutrition office be part of the CHO, during the unveiling of logo, finally supported the move for a separate nutrition office but will be housed in the city health office.
In her closing remarks, she vowed to be fully supportive of the effort of reducing stunting prevalence in the city. #RNPC-CPD
