BONTOC, Mountain Province – Gov. Bonifacio Lacwasan, Jr. reorganized the Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) and designated the same as the Nutrition Cluster for Disasters and Emergencies.

The PNC is chaired by the governor with Provincial Health Officer Penelope Domogo as vice chair.

The PNC will formulate, implement, and monitor the provincial nutrition action program; generate and mobilize resources; integrate existing nutrition-related projects and activities; revitalize the municipal nutrition committees; and coordinate and release funds for nutrition purposes in accordance with the approved projects and programs, among other tasks.

As the Local Nutrition Cluster for Disasters and Emergencies, the PNC is tasked to plan, coordinate, and conduct aggressive and sustained campaigns to promote proper nutrition and consumption of locally available products; conduct rapid assessment of the disaster or calamity-affected area; and ensure timely and appropriate delivery of quality package of nutrition interventions to the affected population particularly on the promotion and interventions to the affected population and protection of infant and child funding practices and micronutrient supplementation.

The PNC shall also ensure that food provided and distributed are nutritionally adequate especially for the vulnerable groups; conduct trainings and other various capacity building activities related to nutrition; promote nutrition counseling to affected population; promote the consumption of natural food available in the locality; and establish and promote coordination, networking, planning, social mobilization, advocacy, surveillance, monitoring, evaluation, and good reporting mechanisms within the nutrition cluster. Juliet B. Saley / PIA