The Philippines became the 51st country to join the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement in 2014 and last June 2, 2021, SUN Movement 3.0 was successfully launched in the country virtually with the National Nutrition Council (NNC) as the forefront in the activity. SUN 3.0 is a nutrition strategy covering the period from 2021 to 2025. It prioritizes the country’s leadership and focuses on supporting systemic change by empowering the SUN countries, which includes the Philippines, to be country driven and country led for multisectoral and evidence-based nutrition action for greater nutrition impact. The strategy development and operationalization process are focused on transparency, openness and inclusiveness while also taking the urgent need for greater pace in helping the nutrition community navigate the new COVID-19 landscape in speaking of greater resolution. As part of these efforts, SUN 3.0 aims to contribute towards achieving the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Among the guest speakers during the virtual launching were the Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III, who also serves as the Chairperson of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) governing board and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexis Nograles, the Chairperson of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger as well as the SUN adviser for the Philippines. NNC Executive Director Azucena M. Dayanghirang, MD, MCH, CESO III, World Vision Development Foundation Technical Manager for Health and Nutrition Ms. Carleneth San Valentin, UNICEF Nutrition Manager Ms. Alice Nkoroi, Standard Insurance Co. President and CEO Mr. John Echauz served as the panelists while UN Assistant Secretary General and SUN Movement Coordinator Ms. Gerda Verburg moderated the event.
In their substantial statements, Cabinet Secretary Nograles said [that the] “Philippines is one with SUN in achieving zero malnutrition by 2030 and can be made possible with our collective actions.” and Secretary Duque, “It is our responsibility to prioritize nutrition and nutrition-related intervention in achieving goals for nutrition as part of our duties to provide access to good nutrition for every Filipinos.”.
The panelist and/or speaker also shared their commitments towards the SUN movement. According to UNICEF Nutrition Manager Nkoroi, they wanted to strengthen the data collection to penetrate further on which programs should be implemented and the direction of funds, and also to better assess impacts of the implemented programs. And the commitment of NNC ED Dr. Azucena is to continue exercising advocates towards nutrition especially in the funding from the Budget and Management and for better utilization and dissemination of nutrition programs.
As the global problem of malnutrition continues to exist, the Philippines will continue to battle malnutrition as one with SUN movements to eradicate malnutrition by 2030. The launching calls everyone as a whole to protect the most vulnerable and provide good nutrition to all. According to NNC Executive Director Azucena M. Dayanghirang by joining hands, we will achieve things faster.
NO II Joanna Marie E. Baltazar