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Directors Bio 3471 2756

AZUCENA MILANA-DAYANGHIRANG, MD, MCH, CESO III
ASSISTANT SECRETARY and EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL

Dr. Azucena M. Dayanghirang is an experienced public health leader. For the past 29 years, she has been a facilitator and a trainer for various health programs particularly on Maternal Child Health and Nutrition. She has served the people of Davao as City Nutrition Action Officer from 1991-1995; Chief of the Technical Services Division and Medical Officer VI of Davao City Health Office from 1996 to 2005; as well as the Provincial Health Officer II and Provincial Nutrition Action Officer of Davao del Sur from 2008 to 2016.

During her stint in the local government, she led the City Nutrition Committee in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of health and nutrition programs. She initiated the “Fresh Milk Supplemental Feeding Program,” which led to the reduction of protein-energy malnutrition among 0-6-year-old children. She also successfully lobbied for the regularization of 32 Nutritionist-Dietitians deployed in the 16 Districts of Davao City in 1996.

In 2016, she was elected as the National President of the Nutrition Action Officers' Association of the Philippines (NAOPA), Inc. Shortly after, she was appointed as Deputy Executive Director of the National Nutrition Council (NNC), an attached agency of the Department of Health, Philippines. In August 2019, Dr. Dayanghirang was appointed as the Executive Director of the NNC. Currently, she is designated as the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Philippines Government Focal Point and most recently, appointed as a member of the Executive Committee of the Global Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Movement representing Asia and Papua New Guinea.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte signed the appointment of Dr. Dayanghirang to Career Executive Service Officer (CESO) Rank III effective 3 December 2020. Recently, she was upgraded to Executive Director IV with the rank of Assistant Secretary as approved by President Duterte through Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea on 21 July 2021.

NNC Executive Director graces PAAST 71st Annual Convention

Details
Category: Directors Corner

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The Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology invited Assistant Secretary Azucena M. Dayanghirang , Executive Director of the National Nutrition Council to its 71st Annual Convention with the theme “ Accelerating Transformations for Sustainable Development Through Science , Technology and Innovation last August 9, 2022.

It was a Virtual Webinar Series , highlighted with the Talks from the distinguished Speakers – Dr. Eufemio Rasco , Jr. , the  chair of Agricultural Sciences Divisions , NAST , who discussed about Impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health , Dr. Glenn Gregorio, Director of Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture who shared inputs on Improving Security by acceleration of agricultural innovations and capacity -building research and policy   and Dr. Carlos Primero Gundran , project leader of DRRMH-H , DOST NICER-NIH who elaborated on Building Resilience Amidst Climate Change Challenges.

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Asec. Dayanghirang’s tasked was to give  her reaction pertaining to  Dr. Glenn Gregorio’s presentation.  She emphasized on the need to improve Food Security and Nutrition through improving Agriculture- which has always been a backbone of the  food economy . She as well pointed out the irony that even our farmers after  long day of farming activities , were left with limited food on their own tables . She further expressed support on the recommendations presented by Dr. Gorgonio on the following : Strengthening of the academe industry and government connectivity models which focuses on  the need to harness and adapt changes brought by modern farming techniques and Pursuing integrative studies , assessing risk and uncertainties related to price volatilities and climate change-related hazards which may become a tool to provide robust information related to food accessibility . She also supports the 3rd policy recommendation on sustaining of the growing interest in agriculture and agri-entrepreneurship .

“ Agriculture has been and will always be an essential component of eradicating malnutrition and hunger and sustaining food security . With an access to affordable food commodities , we can ensure that nutrition will flourish across all age groups . Ikan ga nila , ang magtanim hindi biro . That is why we laud the efforts of scientists especially Dr. Glen B. Gregorio of extending hand to find ways on innovating agriculture to secure supply of food in our tables and in turn helping nutrition community ensure that food is accessible to everyone”, Asec. Dayanghirang concluded.

 

ATongco, OED