Butuan City – As a means of providing the Local Nutrition Committees (LNCs) with an integrated, synchronized, coordinated and focused actions for nutrition improvement, a reorientation on Nutrition Program Management and Local Nutrition Action Planning Formulation was conducted on October 24-28, 2022 at Provincial Learning Center, Provincial Capitol, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

The five-day activity was attended by the nutrition planning core group of eleven Local Government Units (LGUs) and the Provincial Nutrition Committee of Agusan del Sur.

Dr. Jacqueline Frances Momville, Provincial Health Officer II of Agusan del Sur, formally opened the program and welcomed the participants. She recognized the importance of planning in advance for interventions addressing the current nutrition problems in the province.

Overview and basis for the formulation of LNAP 2023-2025, the nutrition situation at the provincial and regional level in three indices and how it changed over the past three years up to the current year was presented as well as the compelling reasons in investing in nutrition for effective local governance and the Philippine Plan of Actions for Nutrition (PPAN) 2023-2028.

In the training proper, the participants were able to accomplish their respective nutrition situation analysis and problem tree, identified the outcome targets and Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) projects to be integrated in their plan, and estimated budgets for nutrition programs, projects and activities.

Moreover, to appropriate funds for services and commodities involved in the full devolution, Nutritionist-Dietitian IV Teresita Lina Medrano from Department of Health Caraga discussed the Health and Nutrition Devolution.

Each of the Local Government Units (LGUs) packaged their LNAP for 2023-2025 and presented their workshop outputs.

Speakers and facilitators of the planning workshop were from the National Nutrition Council Caraga headed by OIC-Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Dr. Niño Archie S. Labordo with Development Management Officer II Mariella P. Rayco, Technical Specialist for Maternal and Child Nutrition, Andre B. Flores from World Health Organization Philippines, ND-IV Teresita Lina Medrano of DOH Caraga, Budget Officer Cesar Luciano from Provincial Budget Office and Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Laniebelle Angchangco from Provincial Nutrition Office.

The workshop was funded by the Provincial Government of Agusan del Sur and were attended by the Municipalities of Esperanza, Prosperidad, San Francisco, San Luis, Trento, Talacogon, Sibagat, Rosario, Veruela, Bunawan and Loreto. #MPRayco