LGUs asked: Prioritize nutrition program

CEBU, Philippines —  National Nutrition Council (NNC) executive director Azucena Dayanghirang has encouraged local government units to make nutrition program a priority as “good nutrition means good governance”.

Dayanghirang made the call yesterday as the NNC recognized exemplary performing local government units and local nutrition workers thru a fitting tribute dubbed as Grand Nutrition Awards.

Nine LGUs in Central Visayas received their first Green Banner Seal of Compliance award for their 2022 performance. The awardees include the Province of Bohol, Dumaguete City, Lapu-lapu City, Mandaue City, Tagbilaran City, and Zamboanguita, Negros Oriental.

The Municipalities of Balilihan and Garcia Hernandez in Bohol; and Enrique Villanueva in Siquijor also received the award for the second time.

NNC-7 regional nutrition program coordinator Dr. Parolita Mission said that these LGUs have fought the odds and have emerged victorious in the tedious task of managing the nutrition program that often get the backseat when it comes to allocation of local government resources, not to mention the challenges in coordinating different sectors for nutrition outcome.

It is this year that Central Visayas got the most number of Green Banner Seal of Compliance Awardees.

Awards were also given to Dr. Ma. Corazon R. Cablao of Bais City as Regional Outstanding City Nutrition Action Officer; Mr. Ramon Anton M. Valencia also of Bais City as Regional Outstanding City Nutrition Program Coordinator.

Leonida L. Gamao of Brgy. Boyog Proper, Balilihan, Bohol and Donessa H. Patambag of Brgy. Cawitan, Sta Catalina, Negros Oriental were chosen as Provincial Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars while Leila A. Pequit of Brgy Pajac, Lapu-lapu City and Mychelle V. Pullida of Brgy Dao, Tagbilaran City were awarded as the City Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars.

The inter-agency Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RET) tasked to assess the performance of nominees visited all four provinces, all 16 cities, 15 municipalities, and 87 barangays to review records, interview stakeholders, and validate reports thru the institutionalized Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol.

The RET also conducted examination for the nominees for the Regional Outstanding Barangay Nutrition Scholars. The multi-sectoral team did the rounds from March to May 2023.

Minor awards like Best Nutrition Project, Outstanding Barangays, Promising City, Municipality and Barangays for Nutrition in the Region and Exemplary Award for Nutrition were also given.

The 2023 Grand Nutrition Award also acknowledged the dedicated service of retiring nutrition workers who shared their lives for the implementation of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition in the region.

Dayanghirang said that nutrition awards is the most difficult to clinch among all other government awards due to its strenuous criteria.

Dayanghirang added that three malnutrition problems (stunting, obesity/overweight and micro-nutrient deficiencies) remained a big challenge to each LGU.