Barangays play an important role in achieving the goals of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017 - 2022.

However, according to a study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) and a survey conducted by the EON group on nutrition messages, barangays are unaware of the PPAN 2017-2022 as a framework for addressing nutrition problems at the barangay level.

In light of the EO 138 or the Mandanas-Garcia Ruling, local chief executives, especially Punong Barangays and Sanggunian ng Kabataan (SK), should improve and incorporate nutrition-specific and nutrition-sensitive initiatives into their local policies and plans.

To further enhance the awareness of PPAN in the barangay, the roles, and responsibilities of Barangay Nutrition Council (BNC) members, and to expand investments in nutrition, the National Nutrition Council-National Capital Region (NNC-NCR), in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government - National Capital Region (DILG-NCR), held the Day 1 of “Virtual Dialogue with Punong Barangays: Enabling Nutrition Devolution” last November 16.

The virtual dialogue highlights the need for the increase of investments in the nutrition programs of barangays because an allocated budget is needed to translate these plans into action. NNC-NCR’s RNPC Mila Federizo states that malnutrition is a threat to our country’s development, thus, we need to implement, scale up, and intensify the efforts, especially in the barangays because they know the needs of their people better. She also emphasizes the importance of collaborative effort and the leadership of the Punong Barangays to ensure that the BNCs are active and functional.

Day 2 of “Virtual Dialogue with Punong Barangays: Enabling Nutrition Devolution” will be held on November 18, from 1:00 pm - 4:00 pm. It will be livestreamed via National Nutrition Council - NCR’s Facebook page. (PIA-NCR)