PROVINCE OF BENGUET– Being awarded as one of the Consistent Regional Outstanding Winner in Nutrition (CROWN) for the year 2013-2015 together with eleven other provinces on December 13, 2016, Benguet is gearing towards winning the Nutrition Honor Award (NHA) by the National Nutrition Council (NNC).The NHA is the highest distinction in nutrition with a cash prize of One Million pesos.
With the challenge of maintaining its CROWN award and a hope of winning in the national level, the NNC- CAR team led by Ms. Rita Papey, RNPC, conducted an assistance activity to the Technical Working Group (TWG) of the Provincial Nutrition Council (PNC) of the Province of Benguet on January 23 – 25, 2017. The team guided the PNC – TWG, with Ms. Amelia Cayap as PNAO Designate, in the preparation of the documents needed for the National Evaluation team who will be coming on March to May 2017. The TWG is composed of various representatives from different offices in the province.
The Region’s and Province’s TWGs did a dry- run on evaluation on the two chosen municipalities which are La Trinidad and Tuba. Tuba’s Barangays Poblacion and Tadiangan were evaluated by the team and were given suggestions on what they can improve more. On the other hand, La Trinidad’s Barangay Puguis was also visited by the TWGs to check and to monitor its nutrition programs.
The TWGs encouraged the barangay officials and BNS workers to work together in the implementation and proper documentation of the activities about nutrition in their places. They were also reminded that if Benguet will not pass the national evaluation, the province will compete again in the lower awards.
“There are three levels of awards that the National Nutrition Council gives. The first level is the Green Banner Award which the province must maintain for three years before it can compete on the second level which is the CROWN Award. One has to be a consistent CROWN awardee for three years to be given a chance to compete for the highest award which is the Nutrition Honor Award”, explained Ms. Papey.
The PNC–TWG is tasked to plan, coordinate, and monitor the nutrition program in the province. Moreover, they are required to draft the provincial nutrition action plan and evaluate implementation of local nutrition plans. Further, they shall provide technical assistance to the municipalities and barangays in the formulation of their plans, policies, programs, and activities. And they will assist the PNC on nutrition advocacy in the barangays and municipalities.
“Nutrition is a priority project of President Duterte as he said during the awarding at the Philippine International Convention Center. He mentioned putting a stop to malnutrition and hunger by making nutrition as one of his administration’s priorities. Thus, we made sure that Benguet will also prioritize the health of its people not only for the sake of the awards but also to make the people in our province a top priority by implementing various interventions for healthy living”, said Hon. Crescencio Pacalso, governor of Benguet.**By Jobelle A. Batanes
