e-Nutri News September Issue

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Vol. I No.3|OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL - WESTERN VISAYAS | September 2020

Local nutrition committees, workers, re-oriented on

MELLPI Pro Local nutrition committees and workers/implementers from Aklan, Antique, Guimaras, Capiz and Negros Occidental participated in a series of re-orientation and updating sessions on the MELLPI Pro Tool via Google Meet.

The MELLPI Pro is the Updated Nutrition Monitoring and Evaluation System at the local level, which includes tools and procedures for monitoring performance in nutrition program implementation of LGUs. According to Ms. Sheryl Sedantes, Nutrition Officer III, NNC VI, the system was expanded to include the measurement of the quantity and quality of the performance of the nutrition workers.

Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Nona B. Tad-y said that when before, only those with Local Nutrition Action Plans (LNAP) are evaluated, with MELLPI Pro all LGUs will be monitored.

MELLPI Pro could have gained full momentum this 2020 but the pandemic has put it on hold because of limited movement and change in priorities.

“But NNC is upbeat in its full implementation in 2021, hence, the series of re-orientations,” Tad-y said.

ECCD-F1K expansion in Negros Occidental set

The Early Childhood Care and Development for the First 1000 days (ECCD-F1K) Program is set for expansion through a series of orientation via Google Meet recently.

The participating local government units were oriented on the program’s objectives, components, operational details as well as the expected support and output from them and the budgetary requirements.

Resource persons who discussed the above were Ms. Dianne Kristine Cornejo, Nutrition Officer III of the Nutrition Policy and Planning Division of NNC Central Office and Ms. Nona B. Tad-y, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, NNC VI. Tad-y said that the ECCD-F1K expansion is a relevant response amid the adverse effects of the covid19 pandemic on the nutrition and health of mothers and children.

F1K focuses on the First 1000 days of life, with componentinterventions for the mother and the child, aimed at addressing wasting and stunting.

The province of Negros Occidental is among the top seven of the 32 provinces in the country considered priorities by the Human Development and Poverty Reduction Cluster (HDPRC) based on the prevalence of stunting, the incidence of poverty, and rate of teenage pregnancy.

The major components of ECCDF1K Expansion in Negros Occidental include dietary supplementation program (DSP) for pregnant women for 90 days through food ration, provision of weighing scales and steel rulers per barangay, and ECCD checklist in the context of COVID-19 pandemic response to cover 7,817 poor pregnant women, children 0-2 years old and their families which shall take off on the 3rd quarter of the year.

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“Radyo Mo sa Nutrisyon”

signs off after a decade of service

REAPING AWARDS

All the hard work and dedication of the people involved in this public service program were affirmed with several awards and recognitions from esteemed national awardgiving bodies:

After 10 years of bringing information and education on good nutrition, Radyo Mo sa Nutrisyon had is final broadcast. Program anchors, Jovie Raval, chief, NNC IEC Division and Rod Marcelino of DZXL, the anchor station, extended their gratitude to everyone who had contributed to the success of the long-running program.

Radyo Mo sa Nutrisyon is NNC’s nutrition education platform, which started in September 2010 as a medium in addressing hunger and food insecurity, with brodcasts aired through Radio Mindanao Network and its provincial stations.

During its initial episodes, the program featured different activities and projects related to additional source of income, securing enough food supply, and attainment of proper nutrition without the need of spending much for nutritious food.

It moved on to discuss different kinds of diseases and the right diet for prevention and management of these illnesses, and also about timely and relevant nutrition issues. These discussions were anchored on the key messages of the Ten Kumainments campaign and the priority programs related to the First 1,000 Days advocacy. Usually, the episodes which had the most number of audiences were those during the yearly Nutrition Month celebration.

During this pandemic, Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon presented ways on how to safeguard the proper nutrition of Filipinos despite the threat of COVID-19 and its resulting crisis.

In the course of 10 years, Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon underwent several improvements to better communicate with its listeners. The program was able to reach a wider audience when it was made available and accessible in Facebook and YouTube.

In its ten years on air, Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon’s success was a collaboration of passionate people. The program extends gratitude primarily to former Health Assistant Secretary and NNC Executive Director Bernie Flores who served as program anchor and the esteemed “Ninang sa Nutrisyon” since 2010 until her retirement in 2019. The credibility of the program was established thru her.

• From Kapisanan ng mga Broadcaster ng Pilipinas – 2013 and 2014 Golden Dove Awards both for Best Radio Public Service Program; • From the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Manila – 2017 Catholic Mass Media Award Special Citation and 2019 Catholic Mass Media Award for Best Public Service Radio Program; and • From the University of the Philippines Los Baños Community Broadcaster’s Society – consistent Gandingan Awardee from 2015-2019 for various categories such as Best Development-Oriented Talk Show, Best DevelopmentOriented Talk Show Hosts, Best Development-Oriented Public Service Announcement, Best AM Radio Program, Best AM Radio Program Host, and Best Public Service Radio Program.

AWARDS FROM THE HEART Aside from these awards and recognition, the true affirmations to the program’s efforts in promoting proper nutrition over the years are the feedback from its audience collectively nicknamed as “Kanutrisyon”. Many of them claimed that they were able to change their diet and eating habits for the better, limiting consumption of sugary, salty and fatty or oily food while opting for more fruits and vegetables.

Many mothers said that, thru the program, they were encouraged to breastfeed their infants. Consequently, many children benefited and nudged malnutrition because their parents learned proper child feeding from the program.

Many of the program’s avid audience also expressed testimonies that they ceased from smoking cigarette and drinking alcoholic beverages to avoid acquiring noncommunicable diseases.

Perhaps, the most heartwarming feedbacks that the National Nutrition Council received from the program’s audiences are those that come from the people who were able to share their learnings to other people. Many of them were Barangay Nutrition Scholars, Barangay Health Workers, Nutrition Action Officers and ordinary people who mainstreamed the information gained from the program to their respective communities. Aside from this, Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon episodes were usually re-aired by Nutriskwela Radio Stations. All these proved that the program generated ripple effects.

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7th Kumainment: “Gumamit ng iodized salt” Strategies in combating Iodine Deficiency in the Philippines include salt iodization, use of iodized salt in processed foods and iodization of drinking water.

signs off after a decade of service

...from page 2 Even the program’s hosts had their share of wonderful stories. They were able to transition to a healthy lifestyle supported by the information they learned from their interviews with guest resource persons. They also reminisced wonderful anecdotes such as the story of a farmer even bringing his/her radio to the farm so as not to miss an episode while working.

Radyo Mo Sa Nutrisyon is the only nutrition radio program in the Philippines but after 10 years, this chapter is now closing. However, the National Nutriton Council will continue to guide Filipinos in aiming for proper nutrition.

Iodine deficiency continues to be a nutrition challenge in the country. Iodine deficiency is a lack of the trace element iodine, an essential component of the thyroid hormones involved in the regulation of various enzymes and metabolic processes. Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) include: Goiter, Mental retardation, Hypothyroidism, Cretinism, Increased morbidity and mortality of infants and impaired cognitive development.

The Regional Bantay Asin Task Force (RBATF) is working with the the Local Government Units specifically Nutrition Action Officers and District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators of provinces and cities in actively monitoring the Asin Law (RA 8172) implementation.

ASIN Law aims to promote the use of iodized salt to address the lack of micronutrients such as goiter and iodine In Western Visayas, Iodine Deficiency deficiency disorders in the country.

Disorder (IDD) is prevalent in the provinces of Capiz & Guimaras, Remember the 7th Kumainment: according to the 8th National Nutrition “Gumamit ng iodized salt”! Let’s prevent Survey of the Food and Nutrition and control iodine deficiency disorders.

Research Institute (FNRI).

Bantay Asin Task Force pushes for stronger advocacy, IEC for ASIN Law In the wake of observed low appreciation and use of iodized salt, there is a need for stronger advocacy and information and education campaign, not only with the public but most especially with the producers.

In its recent online meeting, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Nona B. Tad-y recommended for closer tie up with local government units in the passing of revised or reformulated ordinances responsive to the situation of Covid19.

“They have to be guided, not only requested, especially in revisiting existing ordinances,” Tad-y said, adding that when situation warrants field visits, even the locations of local producers, and the ports where the salts are delivered, should be part of ocular monitoring.

According to the 2019 visitation and monitoring visits report of iodized salt points of entry, producers and distributors, numerous violations, including the aspects of sanitation, were recorded.

The RBATF recommended compliance and this needed to be monitoried, according to Tad-y.

Meanwhile, Cooperative Development Authority Regional Director Doreen Ancheta, said the suppliers should be urged to follow the standards stipulated in the ASIN Law through advocacy and continuing education.

She cited the distribution of flyers and other materials in the local dialect, coupled with strict monitoring, especially reaching out to dsitributors and users in farflung areas.

The task force agreed on actions to be undertaken next year, such as field visits to ports of entry of iodized salts, step up advocacy and information dissemination, review and enrich the 2021 RBATF plan, and the Development Cooperative Authority to help reproduce flyers in support of IEC Advocacy activities.

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Vol. I No.3|OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL - WESTERN VISAYAS | September 2020

NNC VI continues support to BNSes

The NNC VI has continued to render support to the BNSes even as the latter’s movement and rendering of services are hampered by the covid 19 pandemic. This is in recognition of their valuable role in keeping families informed of nutrition information to keep them healthy.

Hinoba-an

Sibalom

Toboso

Igbaras

NUTRI MESSAGE It is such a privilege on our part to publish this third issue of our E-Nutri News. This is one of the good news NNC VI is bringing to our partners and “Kanutrisyon”, as well as our public who need more information on how to combat Covid19 with good nutrition.

Despite the slowed down momentum because of the pandemic, we have not stopped our efforts in pursuing our priorities, like the ECCDF1K Expansion in Negros Occidental, the MELLPI Pro Reorientation, LGU mobilization, and our information dissemination activities through social media platforms. We are pleased that many have supported us in this endeavors.

EDITORIAL BOARD NONA

NONA B. TAD-Y RNPC

nnc.gov.ph

NNC Region 6

TAD-Y

Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Chair

SHERYL

ROSELLE

C.

SEDANTES,

EVE

C.

S.

NO III NO I

FERRER,

Editorial Assistants

ELSA

Let us keep going and upholding the values and practice of a well-balanced diet and physical exercise, to maintain our well being, health of mind and body.

B.

SUBONG

Editorial Consultant

Nutri News is published by the National Nutrition Council-Region 6 Luna St. La Paz, Iloilo City TeleFax No. 033-320-0260

region6@nnc.gov.ph