GOVPH
MENU

 

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.

"Kalig-ong Nutrisyon , susi sa pagtukod ug mas maayong bag-ong NAOrmal"

Details
Category: Directors Corner

297063163 616216356712608 4163351650924357830 n

The Central Visayas Regional Nutrition Committee in partnership with Central Visayas Nutrition Action Officers Association, Inc. culminated its 48th Nutrition Month Celebration  with the 2022 Grand Nutrition Awards back to back with the Regional Congress of Nutrition Action Officers ( NAOs) last September 16, 2022 at Robinsons summit Galleria Hotel , Cebu City with the theme ; “ Kalig-ong Nutrisyon , susi sa pagtukod ug mas maayong bag-ong NAOrmal”

The event highlighted the recognition of the different local government units and local nutrition focal points who had shown exemplary performance which contributed to the improvement of the Central Visayas nutrition situation , specifically in their respective communities.

NNC Executive Director and Assistant Secretary Azucena M. Dayanghirang graced the said event as their  Keynote Speaker .

Asec. Apet on her speech informed the crowd that in the coming months, the National Nutrition Council (NNC) will adopt the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) for 2023-2028. The formulation of the PPAN shall consider resilience-building strategies to improve food and nutrition security and end all forms of malnutrition. She further encouraged them to be united in adopting the PPAN through their respective local nutrition action plans and putting sufficient fund support for its operationalization. She expressed her trust that NAOs will actively participate in the upcoming dissemination activities that NNC has  lined up for the new PPAN at the national and local levels.

“We celebrated this year's Nutrition Month with the theme "New normal na nutrisyon, sama-samang gawan ng solusyon!" which calls for strengthened nutrition interventions and solidarity towards nutrition improvement. The theme reverberated throughout the country, and the call to build nutrition resilience has been made louder. We must recognize how vital nutrition is in resilience-building strategies, especially in the country's steps towards recovery from the pandemic. Improving our resilience will also address factors affecting malnutrition. Thus, improved resilience means improved nutrition. This event is an opportune time for us to understand the key role of nutrition resilience in building a better new normal and emphasize the contribution of the nutrition action officers” , Asec. Apet stated .

It was indeed a successful and colorful event as the Central Visayas Association of Nutrition Action Officers, Inc. ( CeVANAO ) gathered together in a Congress to shed light on the importance of building nutrition resiliency in the new normal , discuss the key elements of podcasting and vlogging which are essential to promote and advocate good nutrition, most importantly to articulate their past accomplishments , financial standing and membership status of the association .

Asec. Dayanghirang was so grateful to be part of such momentous occasion which also spelled the kind of leadership she portrayed as the Head of Agency of the  National Nutrition Council.

Congratulations to the working team of  CeVANAO , and to the untiring initiative of NPC Dr. Parolita A. Mission !

 

EATongco