Koronadal City – T’boli, South Cotabato is one of the targeted municipalities among the 10 municipalities in the Philippines for the expansion phase of Early Warning System on Food and Nutrition Security (EWS-FNS).
Mayor Dibu S. Tuan was thankful and expressed to support this endeavor which he believed will help alleviate food and nutrition insecurity in the municipality. T’boli was included for the following reasons: ranked 6th with high prevalence of underweight preschool children in the region and also prone to natural disasters and other calamities which both affect the food and nutrition security situation.

On February 9-11, 2015, an orientation and consultative workshop was conducted at T’boli, South Cotabato facilitated by Ms. Alona Teo, Nutrition Officer II of the Nutrition Surveillance Division of National Nutrition Council- Central Office. She was assisted by RNPC Arceli M. Latonio and two technical staff of NNC XII

The two and a half days orientation and consultative workshop was participated by the different heads of offices, BNS, BHW, SB members and some NGO partners in the municipality of T’boli. The workshop aims to help familiarize the EWS-FNS team on the existing programs, data and monitoring systems from the various agencies/offices which will be used as sources of information.

Ms. Mergilda S. Sorolla, Agriculturist II of Municipal Agriculture Office presented the existing programs/data of agriculture in terms of food production followed by Ms. Thelma V. Gedoria, MSWDO and chairman of MDRRMC presented the weather condition, water level monitoring and rain gauge, Ms. Maria Ana D. Uy, PNAO of South Cotabato discussed the Provincial Nutrition Situation specifically the municipality of T’boli and lastly Mr. Enrique Reynes Jr., of Philippine Statistics Office- SOCSARGEN Chapter discussed the existing programs and other information on PSA particularly on agriculture.

During the two-day workshop, participants were able to identify the food and nutrition situation causality framework and primary indicators. The five (5) identified sentinel barangays are the following: Kematu, Laconon, Maan, Poblacion and Basag. The next step is the training for the Municipal EWS Team and household enumerators. This will be held on March 17-18, 2015 for the barangay enumerators and March 19 – 20, 2015 for the municipal EWS team.