23 July 2021-- With a whopping count of more than 300 viewers on both Zoom and FB Live, the District/City Nutrition Program Coordinators Association of the Philippines in Region 1 Chapter (D/CNPCAP-1) with the National Nutrition Council Region 1 (NNC-RO1) successfully convened its first ever online forum anchored in of this year’s Nutrition Month celebration.

The said forum covered its targeted participants mostly the Local Nutrition Program Coordinators (LNPCs), Nutrition Action Officers (NAOs), Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNSs) and other partner advocates on nutrition within and beyond Region 1.

Mr. Kendall Gatan, OIC-Nutrition Program Coordinator of NNC-RO1 warmly welcomed the attendees emphasizing the crucial roles of each one in protecting the gains in malnutrition reduction for the past decades as the COVID-19 pandemic continue to be a threat to exacerbate the nutrition situation.

“We need to scale up our actions particularly on the F1K’s six critical interventions to address all forms of malnutrition as we enjoined all LGUs to embrace the First 1000 Days as the heart of their nutrition plans and interventions as much still needs to be done for us to raise #Laking1000 generations reaching their full potential “, he strongly concluded.

Afterwhich, the committed participants attentively listened to the discussion of selected topics that are very timely in this current uncertainty, voicing-out: Mental Health in the Context of COVID-19 by Dr. Magnolia Brabante, Medical Officer IV of the Department of Health-Center for Health Development-1 (DOH-CHD 1); Nutrition Management for COVID-19 Patients by Mr. Jimboy Leganio, Nutritionist-Dietitian II of the Ilocos Training and Regional Medical Center (ITRMC); and, Updates on Micronutrient Supplementation, Community Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) & Infant and Young Child Feeding Program (IYCF) by Ms. Jovita Leny Calaguas, Nutritionist-Dietitian IV of the  DOH-CHD 1.

Ms. Analiza Miranda, DNPC of Pangasinan and President of the D/CNPCAP-1 wrapped-up the program by extending her sincerest gratitude to everyone who took part in the success of the said forum especially the resource persons, participants and the working committees.

She also commended the virtual event’s moderator, Ms. Ligene Telin-Neri, of the Provincial Health Office of Pangasinan for gracefully orchestrating the program.

This forum is another re-assurance and opportunity in ensuring the mental well-being of the local nutrition frontliners in doing quality public service on nutrition emanated in all the discussions all throughout. WNL