By Queeni Caay and Lordee Gomez / UM Interns
THE NATIONAL Nutrition Council initiated a program in provinces with a high malnutrition rate starting this week until early June.
The Philippine Multi-sectoral Nutrition Project (PMNP) seeks to address malnutrition in Davao Region, particularly in Don Marcelino, with a 16.7% malnutrition rate, and other focused areas such as Malalag, Sta. Maria, Jose Abad Santos, and Malita.
“We are expecting around June, meron na tayong (we already have an) LGU mobilization or LNAP or what we call the Local Nutrition Action Plan formulation,” Azucena Dayanghirang, NNC executive director, said.
However, such projects will not be approved and funded if they are not outlined in the plan emanating from the local government units.
“So, yung nutrition plan dapat talaga gawin nila [LGU] and then doon talaga identified yung targets and everything (the nutrition plan should identify the LGU targets),” she added.
This joint program is spearheaded by the NNC, Department of Health, and the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Kalahi Seeds program. The potential donors include UNICEF, World Food Program, Food Agriculture Organization, Australian Aid, and Japan International Cooperation Agency.
