The Muntinlupa City Nutrition Committee (CNC) takes pride in being an organized and functional committee with 22-member agencies who are actively involved in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the nutrition programs indicated in its city nutrition action plan (CNAP). Regular quarterly and special meetings of the CNC are conducted to discuss concerns on the implementation of programs, projects and activities (PPAs) as well as the results of monitoring conducted by the members of the CNC.

The nutrition secretariat developed a monitoring tool that the CNC uses in monitoring the PPAs. Each monitoring visit is conducted by 3 or 4 members of the CNC. In 2017, the CNC members conducted monitoring visits on the following: (a) updating and posting of growth charts of malnourished children on their homes; (b) conduct of Pabasa sa Nutrisyon (PSN) in Sucat; (c) compliance of school canteens to Dep ED Order No. 13, s2017; (d) utilization of iodized salt in school canteens; and (e) posting and utilization of nutrition IEC materials in schools, among others. The results of these monitoring visits are presented and discussed during the CNC meetings for recommendations and appropriate actions.

ECCD cards and mother-baby booklets are provided to parents of children under-five years old to monitor their growth and development and to educate the parents on the importance of growth monitoring. To closely monitor the growth of the undernourished children and involve their parents as well in this activity, the nutrition secretariat printed enlarged growth charts. The enlarged growth charts are updated during re-weighing of children and posted on the houses of families with undernourished children. This innovative strategy has become a way for parents to appreciate the meaning of the growth curve and their responsibilities in ensuring that their children will have normal nutritional status. This strategy was found effective in encouraging parents to bring their children to the health center for regular growth monitoring. The BNSs on the other hand, use the growth chart in giving nutrition counseling to the parents.

The nutrition secretariat also developed a monitoring tool where services or interventions received by the undernourished children and their families are recorded and documented. Services received by the targeted children and their families are recorded in the said monitoring tool such as micronutrient supplementation, enrolment to supplemental feeding program, medical and dental consultations, referral to livelihood trainings, vegetable seeds, and other nutrition and related interventions. The purpose of this monitoring tool is to ensure that appropriate and needed nutrition and related services are provided to the target groups.

Cognizant of the importance of proper child care in the prevention of malnutrition, the CNC conducts 3-half day sessions on Values Formation among parents and caregivers of undernourished children. This activity is a collaborative undertaking of five (5) members of the CNC. Lingkod Muntinlupa Foundation provides the participants meals and 2 kilos of rice as incentive. The nutrition secretariat guides the participants in analyzing the reasons why their children are underweight and gives lecture on the First 1000 Days (F1K). The local Social Welfare and Development Office (SWDO) gives lecture on the rights of the child and the responsibilities of the parents in upholding these rights. The Public Employment Service Office (PESO) and Muntinlupa Technical Institute (MTI) discuss employment opportunities and livelihood skills trainings that the participants can avail of. The agriculture office also discusses vertical gardening and provides participants vegetable seeds to help them start their own food gardens. The convergence of services by the different CNC members make the values formation sessions effective.

The First 1000 Days (F1K) and the 10 Kumainments are intensively promoted in the barangays through the community assemblies conducted regularly by the barangay nutrition scholars (BNSs) and nutritionist-dietitians (NDs) in all the nine (9) barangays of the city. The Community Affairs and Development Office (CADO) has been supporting these assemblies for two (2) years now by providing snacks to the participants.

The nutrition secretariat together with the Public Information Office (PIO) actively maintain the social media account of the CNC to promote good nutrition and share with the public what the city government through the CNC is doing to fight malnutrition in the city. Photos and videos posted on the CNC’s official Facebook fan page are also shared by the PIO in Lingkod Bayan and Gender and Development FB pages.

Various nutrition information, education and communication (IEC) materials were developed and printed by the city funded by the local health department and the Gender and Development (GAD) office. These materials include among others, the 10 Kumainments fans; flyers on the F1K, breastfeeding and complementary feeding; tarpaulins and flyers in Kumainment #7 and EO 51 (No Milk Donation Policy) in evacuation centers; prevention of iodine deficiency disorders; nutrition/diet counseling slips for various diet-related illnesses; and cycle menu to be used in supplementary feeding programs and for hypertensive and diabetic patients.

The city also implements daily a 15-minute exercise in day care centers, health facilities, and local government offices. This is done daily to encourage physical activity to prevent and control overweight and obesity. To support this initiative of the city government, the Schools Division Office (SDO) also implements its daily SHAKE – a 15-minute Zumba participated in by all personnel.

One of the imperatives for the PPAN 2017-2022 is the hiring and deployment of adequate number of human resource for nutrition. Recognizing this imperative, the city government hired additional BNSs and NDs to increase coverage and delivery of nutrition services. To date, there are 10 NDs and 14 BNSs deployed in the 9 barangays of the city.

The CNC believes that with the strong support and political will of Mayor Jaime Fresnedi as Chair of the CNC and the convergence of their programs and services, the declining malnutrition rate of the city will be sustained, and more and more children will have a brighter future through good nutrition.

Written by: Ms. Maria Ana C. Ordenes, Nutritionist-Dietitian III, Muntilupa City
Ms. Ordenes is a member of the Regional Nutrition Speakers’ Bureau and City/District Nutrition Program Coordinators of Metro Manila Association, Inc.

* Muntinlupa City was the recipient of the 2017 Green Banner Award, LGU with Continuous Improvement in Nutrition Program Management Award and Most Innovative LGU Award during the 2018 Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony (RNAC) on July 27, 2018 at Heritage Hotel, Pasay City.
* Article was included in the 2017 RNAC Souvenir Program