BAGUIO CITY (PIA) - -The National Nutrition Council calls on local government unit officials  to  prioritize nutrition in their   Devolution Transition Plan(DTP)  for the implementation of the Mandanas – Garcia Supreme Court ruling.

NNC Cordillera OIC Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator Bella Basalong reminded this to LGU nutrition program coordinators during the blended orientation on the NNC Nutrition Shepherding Project last May 19.

Implementation of nutrition programs and projects is one of the devolved functions of local government units as provided under the Local Government Code of the Philippines and it can be further strengthened by the Mandanas-Garcia ruling which fully devolves the delivery of basic services to LGUs, which Internal Revenue Allotment share will also increase.

Basalong said   devolution transition period is 2022 – 2024 and the Department of Budget and Management is already releasing funds to the LGUs for their DTPs starting this year.

Basalong  noted that nutrition is not a priority in many LGUs and another concern in implementing effective local nutrition action plans is the lack of personnel that are fully dedicated for nutrition programs and projects.  Thus, LGUs must grab the opportunity to include in their DTPs the creation of a local nutrition office as well as the hiring of (plantilla positions) personnel for such office,

The hiring of personnel for LGU nutrition program implementations is also justified under the DTP of the Department of Health, she added.

 Malnutrition  remains to be a concern both at the regional and national level especially on poor early nutrition during pregnancy and childhood which long term impact results to poor cognitive performance, immunity and work performance (of a person).

For the economic impact, it results to unproductive workforce that will also affect the Gross Domestic Product, which based on study is estimated at 3 percent economic losses per annum.

 Based on the 2015 Food and Nutrition Research and Institute (FNRI) data,  obesity among children in Cordillera  is still high  where for 5 – 10 years old prevalence rate is at 9.9% and for 10 – 19 years old is at 11.4%, which are even higher that the national rate of 8.6 and 9.2 percent, respectively.

Same FNRI data show that under nutrition among children under 5 years old is also high in the region while underweight prevalence rate is at 16.8 % and stunting at 36.7%, also both higher that the national prevalence rate of 21.5 and 33.4%, respectively.

Basalong reiterated that heightened nutrition action plans and programs, including the creation of a local nutrition office and hiring of needed nutrition action personnel must be included in the Devolution Transition Plan, as once the transition period ends in 2024, it will be harder for LGUs to allocate funds and request for plantilla positions. (JDP/CCD-PIA CAR)