Coron, Palawan – NPC Ma. Eileen B. Blanco and PEO I Nichole Loyola paid a visit to the municipality of Coron, Palawan for the conduct of back-to-back meetings and monitoring visit on 5-6 December 2022.
On 5 December 2022, Coron Municipal Nutrition Office staff headed by Municipal Nutrition Action Officer (MNAO) Elizabeth Balbutan welcomed the team and joined the monitoring visit to Radyo Kasimanwa 97.3 MHz. Station Manager Alfredo Araneta showed the newly designed office and equipment for use in radio broadcasting. The station shall be composed of four (4) personnel - writer, researcher, technician, and radio broadcaster.
Subsequently, the team met the Municipal Health Officer (MHO) Dr. Alan Guintapan informing the purpose of visit - Monitoring Visit to Radyo Kasimanwa 97.3 MHz and Reorientation and Organization of LNEWS-FNS Municipal Core Group. Memorandum of Agreement should be reviewed by partner LGU to ensure that LGU will be able to provide what is expected from the LGU per MOA for efficient operationalization of Radyo Kasimanwa.
On 6 December 2022, NPC Blanco and PEO I Loyola were invited to attend the Municipal Nutrition Committee Meeting and conduct Reorientation and Organization of Local Nutrition Early Warning System for Food and Nutrition Security (LNEWS-FNS) to mobilize members of the Municipal Core Group. Introduction to National Nutrition Council, Overview of LNEWS-FNS, and Submission of LNEWS Reports were presented as well. Through this, the team leader and core group members have been identified.
Lastly, NPC Blanco briefly explained the importance of having separate nutrition offices. Nutrition offices are vital to ensure that there are personnel who will enable the LGUs to implement laws and target beneficiaries especially the vulnerable and high-risk groups are benefitted and that various nutrition-specific and nutrition-related/sensitive programs are planned and carried out in an integrated manner.
NNC MIMAROPA and LGU Coron shall work closely to reduce malnutrition through the use of Radyo Kasimanwa as medium for a wider nutrition information dissemination and monitoring and assessment of food and nutrition security in the municipality with the aid of LNEWS.
Written by: PEO I Nichole Loyola
