Region VIII

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 15 May 2021

Palo, Leyte- Thirty-eight (38) nutrition advocates in Alangalang joined the first batch Training for Barangay Implementers on Early Childhood Care and Development in the First 1000 Days (ECCD F1K) Phase 2: Idol Ko Si Nanay on 3-7 May 2021 at Tatay Doy's Farm, Brgy. P. Barrantes, Alangalang, Leyte.

The training aimed to develop competencies on facilitating conduct of mothers’ classes using the Idol ko si Nanay module in the First 1000 days and the FAO-developed participatory cooking demonstration for improved complementary feeding among 6-23 months old children and in implementing the ECCD F1K Days program.

Likewise, it gives orientation to implementers on growth monitoring and the use of the Electronic Operation Timbang (eOPT) Plus Tool to improve the conduct and reporting of nutrition assessment of preschool children in the locality.

Hon. Mayor Lovell Ann M. Yu in her message encouraged all the barangays to help improve nutrition through budget prioritization and inclusion of the first 1000 days program in their plans.

The trained participants are expected to conduct the roll-out by sharing the different sessions to their respective areas of assignments.

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 14 May 2021

PALO, Leyte - The National Nutrition Council8 (NNC8) has conducted a series of consultation sessions and focus group discussions (FGDs) with target stakeholders including indigenous peoples and community nutrition implementers in selected areas of Leyte, Samar, and Northern Samar.

The series of FGD is part of the preparation for the Philippine Multi-Sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) called KUMAIN (Kasapatan at Ugnayan ng Mamamayan sa Akmang Pagkain at Nutrisyon) under the World Bank.

It aims to gather inputs and suggestions from prospective indigenous people (IP) stakeholders and beneficiaries and to assess the health and nutrition situation of the communities under this proposed project.

The Department of Health (DOH)-NNC and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the project implementation, in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Science and Technology -Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) and the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

The NNC, as facilitators, used the methodology crafted by the DOH-NCC central office composed of four parts namely health and nutrition concerns in the community, gender issues in relation to health and nutrition, nutrition-sensitive programs to address these concerns and recommendations for the PMNP.

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 26 April 2021

Marabut Vaccination Team This week (April 24-30), the world celebrates World Immunization Week with a theme “Vaccines bring us closer”. The week-long celebration aims to promote the use of vaccines to protect people of all ages against vaccine-preventable diseases.

Immunization saves millions of lives every year and is widely recognized as one of the most successful health interventions according to the World Health Organization (WHO). The WHO also said that many missed out on vital immunization during adolescence, adulthood, old age and including the almost 20 million children in the world today.

The celebration of this year’s immunization week urges greater engagement around immunization globally to promote the importance of immunization in bringing people together and improving the health and wellbeing of everyone and everywhere throughout life, this according to WHO.

This year’s celebration include campaign among various stakeholders around the world that will unite to increase trust and confidence in vaccines, maintain and increase vaccine acceptance and increase investment in vaccines including routine immunization, and remove barriers to access.

Meanwhile, this year’s campaign is focus on solidarity and trust in the immunization program as a public good that saves lives and protect health, hence “vaccines have brought us closer together and will bring us closer again”.

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 04 May 2021

Tacloban City-Officers and members of the Harmonized Initiatives of Media for the Spread of Good Nutrition in Region 8 (HIMsoG8) conduct their first meeting amidst COVID 19 pandemic on 27 April 2021 via blended approach.

As the media arm of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) 8, HIMSOG 8 updated their Vision and Mission to be aligned with Philippine Plan Action for Nutrition 2017-2022 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

In a presentation by Mr. Ray Gaspay, he made mention particularly on SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 2 (no hunger), SDG 3 (good health and wellbeing) and SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation). He also highlighted productivity through sustainable agriculture.

To enhance their Vision and Mission and later drafting of operation/action plan, RNPC Dr. Catalino P. Dotollo, Jr. shared Sub-national Social and Behavioral Change Communication (SBCC) Implementation Guidance and Tools for Nutrition. Dr. Dotollo highlighted SBCC strategic approaches which the media group can align their vison/mission and subsequently in their action plan.

Towards later in the presentation, RNPC Dotollo introduced various NNC initiatives such as the Tutok Kainan: Dietary Supplementation Program (TK:DSP), Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PGK) the Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) to be funded by the World Bank.

The media group can help jumpstart their activities towards these three major nutrition initiatives. These initiatives according to Dr. Dotollo can be a platform for other nutrition sensitive and nutrition enabling program such as sustainable livelihood and agriculture through home/ backyard gardening, poultry and livestock raising enabling family to have food on top of their table.

With these initiatives’ media can help influence individuals, families to change their attitudes and behaviors towards good health and nutrition. The media can also be an advocate and influencers of Local Chief Executives to invest more n nutrition.

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 22 April 2021

PALO, Leyte -The National Nutrition Council (NNC) in Eastern Visayas has been conducting a series of orientation and simulation exercises in preparation for the upcoming 2021 Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI).

The activity aims to ensure the familiarity of evaluators and nutrition officers across the region on the new features and mechanics of the updated monitoring and evaluation framework and system dubbed as MELLPI Pro.

On April 20, the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) joined the blended face-to-face and online orientation and simulation activity at Hotel Alejandro in Tacloban City, where they also discussed strategies for the smooth roll out of MELLPI while ensuring safety amid the threat of coronavirus disease 2019.

The following day, the same orientation was participated in by the provincial and city nutrition action officers (P/CNAO) in the region, as well as district/city nutrition program coordinators (DCNPC).

As agreed, the RNET will conduct the evaluation in blended online and on-site, depending on the health situation and community quarantine status of areas to be visited.

"It would be challenging for all of us so probably let us take some extra precautionary minimum standards in evaluating them. I hope we will have a successful MELLPI amid this challenging health crisis and yield very positive development from our LGUs particularly our local chief executives," said Catalino P. Dotollo Jr., National Nutrition Program Coordinator in the region.

Meanwhile, the evaluation schedule has yet to be finalized, as the NNC regional office here is still coordinating and confirming with the nutrition officers of the different provinces and cities in the region on their date assignment.

Details: Category: Region 8; Published: 27 April 2021

Palo, Leyte-National Nutrition Council- Philippines Executive Director, Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang served as Resource Speaker during the 54th Session of the United Nations Commission on Population and Development (CPD-54) Side Event entitled “Strategies to Address Malnutrition/Stunting Among Women and Girls in Indonesia and the Philippines via zoom platform on April 22, 2021.

ED Dayanghirang topic is on Stunting among Women and Girls with Different Socio-economic Background in the Philippines: Current Status, Influencing Factors and Strategies to Address.

The talk highlights nutritional situation in the Philippines and the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022 as the blueprint in nutrition in the Philippines.

Likewise, the latest initiative on Tutok Kainan (TK) or Dietary Supplementation Program (DSP) for pregnant women and children 6-23 months old to address stunting in the country was also highlighted. According to ED Dayanghirang while TK/DSP is a nutrition specific program, it also served as a jumpstart to implement nutrition education classes and of other nutrition sensitive interventions such home and community gardening and sustainable livelihood projects to sustain food security at the barangay (villages) level.

In a question-and-answer portion, Dayanghirang emphasized quality services in the First 1,000 days is an effective strategy in addressing stunting in the Philippines. The quality services include complementation of nutrition specific and nutrition sensitive intervention. This includes among others four prenatal visit, exclusive breastfeeding in the first 6 months, micronutrient supplementation, dietary supplementation program, nutrition education classes, and home and community garden.