31 January 2022, Cagayan de Oro City – Annually, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) X conducts a Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) Plan Implementation Review (PIR). This is to determine the progress of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) and RPAN and identity what are the factors that facilitated or hindered the nutrition program implementation.

Northern Mindanao 2021 RPAN PIR was held last 19 January 2022 at the Apple Tree Resort and Hotel, Opol, Misamis Oriental and Zoom Application. A total of 21 participants (face-to-face and online) attended the PIR which was composed of select Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) members, and Local Government Units (LGUs) composed of Provincial/City Nutrition Action Officers (P/CNAOs) and District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators (D/CNPCs).

Before the workshop, Nutrition Officer (NO) II Arlie Joy O. Damiles shared the updates on the Regional Nutrition Situation based on the 2018-2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) results and 2021 Operation Timbang (OPT) Plus. She reported the ranking of the provinces in each indicator. She mentioned that with the results, there is still a need to intensify the nutrition program management particularly in the First 1000 Days and food security programs to address the hunger and malnutrition in the region.

Nutrition Program Coordinator (NPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez presented the 2022 regional outcome targets and the RPAN accomplishments based on the 2020 PIR. Proceeding, NO III Sheena Marie G. Talle explained the PIR mechanics. Following the usual process in reviewing the RPAN, the participants were grouped into two (2): RNC and LGU groups and proceeded to the workshop proper. The workshop sessions were (1) RPAN 2020 Accomplishments vs. Targets, (2) Reasons for Deviation, and (3) Moving Forward: Identifying Relevant Outcomes and Strategies to improve local PPAN implementation.

In the first workshop, each group identified their actual accomplishments versus set targets. Most of the programs, projects, and activities (PPAs) identified were conducted and accomplished. However, some targets need further validation by select RNC agencies and LGUs.

Meanwhile, in workshop 2, the groups determined the factors that contributed and hampered the accomplishment of each program using the World Health Organization (WHO) six (6) building blocks as the basis for the analysis. Re-alignment of nutrition budgets, COVID-19 restrictions, nutrition workers being mobilized for COVID-19 response, limited budget, delay in reports submission, and unavailability or insufficient supplies of commodities are among the listed common reasons for deviation identified by the groups.

To ensure the set 2021 RPAN targets were achieved, workshop 3 was conducted. During the session, the participants determined strategies to improve the implementation of RPAN 2019-2022 and to catalyze actions for the achievement of RPAN targets. Each group determined targets to be modified, removed, or added.

NPC Fernandez shared that there are several challenges encountered since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, assessment of the RPAN accomplishments vis-à-vis targets and re-calibration of some indicators were needed for better program implementation.

Moreover, NPC Fernandez reminded the participants that the year 2022 is the last year of PPAN implementation, thus, unified and collaborative efforts are needed to ensure the achievement of targets. Likewise, she informed the group of the upcoming workshop to be conducted for the discussion of the RPAN target goals for the next six (6) years. NPC Fernandez was hopeful that with the RNC Members’ and LGUs’ support and continued commitment to PPAN/RPAN, the health and nutrition situation of Northern Mindanao will further improve. (NO II Arlie Joy O. Damiles)