SOCCSKSARGEN—The National Nutrition Council Region XII jumpstarts Nutrition in Emergencies-Information Management blended learning course for two batches last October 20-21, 2020, with 49 and 40 participants for Batches 1 and 2 respectively in its first live online session. The participants were composed of Nutrition Action Officers, Nutrition Staff/Nutritionist-Dietitians and representatives from the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, Social Welfare and Development Office, Agriculture office and other members from their respective Local Nutrition Committees.

Batch 1 consists of 10 LGUs coming from: Sarangani Province including municipalities of Malungon and Alabel, Tupi from South Cotabato Province, Libungan, Pigcawayan and Midsayap from Cotabato Province, two municipalities from Sultan Kudarat Province: Kalamansig and Esperanza, and Koranadal City. Meanwhile, Batch 2 includes 10 LGUs, to wit: Cotabato Province and its three (3) municipalities, Tulunan, Arakan, Makilala; South Cotabato province and three of its municipalities from Tampakan, Polomolok, Sto. Niño and two municipalities from Sultan Kudarat Province, Lutayan and Sen. Ninoy Aquino.

Together with the Department of Health and UNICEF, the training aims to enhance the competencies of members of local nutrition committees along nutrition in emergencies and information management. At the end of the course, the participants will specifically be able to: (1) Describe the Philippine DRRM and Cluster Approach; (2) Identify the different nutrition interventions during emergencies (3) Discuss the different IM tools per phase of emergency and (4) Draft the LGU’s DRRMM-H-NIE Plan. Further, expected outputs from this course are as follows: a) Trained Members of Local Nutrition Committees b) Draft DRMM-H-NIE Plan and c) Group and individual activities on Complementary feeding, Data Repository and DRRM-H NiE Case Study.

This course utilizes the method of blended learning which combines offline and live/open forum sessions covering five (5) modules for 12 days thru google classroom and virtual platforms as a main strategy to adapt in the new norm due to pandemic. The whole course of the training will be facilitated by NNC CO and Regional Staff with Resource Persons from DSWD and DOH.

NNC being the cluster head of Nutrition, the LGUs are encouraged to organize/activate the Nutrition Cluster at their levels. The Nutrition Cluster aims to ensure the nutritional status of affected population especially the most vulnerable group i.e. infants, children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, older persons, persons with disabilities and people living with debilitating conditions and that, will not worsen or deteriorate due to impact of emergency and disaster. One of the vital functions of nutrition cluster is to generate and provide data before, during, and after emergencies.

With this provided opportunity to LGUs, NNC is also looking forward that the trained participants will be the new sets of agents that could help in achieving effective response during emergencies and disasters. (NOIIAurel/NOIIIFlores)