Mitigation of hunger and malnutrition is a foremost concern during emergencies. The nutrition cluster should link with other cluster and establish capacities at all levels. For this purpose, the National Nutrition Council-Caraga conducted the Regional Nutrition in Emergency training at Almont Inland Resort on March 17-20, 2015. Around 30 participants attended the training, composed of members of the Regional Nutrition Cluster, Provincial Nutrition Action Officers and Provincial Health Emergency Management Staff (HEMS) Coordinators. The resource persons and facilitators of the training were Office of Civil Defense-XIII staff Ms. Lorene S. Catedral, Department of Health HEMS staff Mr. Richard M. Maniago and NNC staff Ms. Retsebeth M. Laquihon and Ms. Nancy C. Sarabosing.

The training covered four modules on the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Service Provider, the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Trainer, and the Nutrition In Emergency Personnel as Manager. The four-day training covered lectures, workshops and practical demonstrations during the first two days while the remaining time was allotted to the nutrition cluster contingency planning workshop.

The issues and concerns brought up during the training were the source of therapeutic food, distribution of MUAC tapes to the nutrition cluster respondents, institutionalization of the community management of acute malnutrition and composition of the general food distribution. The participants were also able to provide output on the contingency plan which will be integrated to the regional contingency plan with the Office of Civil Defense.