BUTUAN CITY – Ms. Pinky A. Casamayor, a 31-year-old City Nutrition Program Coordinator (CNPC), is one of the contenders in this year’s Search for the Regional Outstanding CNPC in Caraga region.

CNPC Casamayor was evaluated by the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) on 14 September 2022. Part of the evaluation was the interview and desk review, validating the documents in 2021 using the Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) Protocol tool.

The CNPC is a two- degree course holder, having graduated an Agriculture and Nursing degrees at Marawi State University (2009) and Holy Child Colleges of Butuan (2013), respectively. Upon receiving her second degree, she immediately volunteered as a nurse at the City Health Office of Bayugan City. Eventually, in 2020, she was given a plantilla item as Health Education and Promotion Officer (HEPO) and was also designated as the City Nutrition Program Coordinator.

The nature of her work being the CNPC became a challenge as she will coordinate and provide services at the barangay. Public speaking and coordination were her weaknesses. However, working with the supportive City Mayor, heads of offices and some non-government organizations the skills of coordinating and communicating were honed.

CNPC Casamayor coordinates with the Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and Barangay Nutrition Committees (BNCs). Her continuous provision of trainings for new BNSs and provision of technical assistance to BNCs made her accustomed to and enjoyed the work as a public health worker.

One of the most challenging part for her work was the fast turnover of BNSs in some barangays of the City. Facing this struggle led her and the City Nutrition Committee to lobby an ordinance or resolution on the clarity of endorsements of documents whenever there is a turn-over of BNS.

Being a CNPC at the same time as a nurse was a challenging journey, but she carried out her responsibilities effectively. During her service, the Bayugan City received several awards, including the Green Banner for three years in a row (2014-2016) and a CROWN Awardee in 2017 and 2018.

Along with her most significant accomplishment, she remarked that being close to children and adolescents by helping and providing for their needs is her greatest reward. The awards were just an added bonus to her service, CNPC Casamayor added.

CNPC Adesas-Casamayor shared that, for her, the secret to being an effective coordinator was managing her workload by having a journal to track her schedule, and her edge, among others, is her intact and organized collections of reports. CNPC Casamayor believed that the job was destined for her because helping and serving others and seeing the children’s beautiful smiles warmed her heart. #RRJGabaisen/MPRayco