18th Nutrition Congress to focus on accelerated hunger mitigation
The 18th Nutrition Congress slated on October 5 will focus on the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP) of the Arroyo administration, aimed at nutrition improvement and in encouraging a healthy lifestyle for the Filipino youth.
Regional Nutrition Coordinator Nona Tad-y said the Nutrition Congress will bring together implementors of and stakeholders in the nutrition program in the region, particularly the local government officials who are expected to have formulated their hunger mitigation plans by now.
Tad-y said the government is now primarily focusing on hunger mitigation as part of its commitment of social payback for the Filipinos through better and responsive local nutrition programs.
She also said the implementation of the hunger mitigation plans and the counterpart of the local governments will be thoroughly tackled during the forum, which will have National Nutrition Council Executive Director Maria Bernardita Flores and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP) Programs and Projects Head Dell R. Santos, as discussants.
Ms. Flores will explain the mechanics of the AHMP, the roles of the LGUs and the agencies involved and how the partnership is expected to work to improve the nutritional level of the people.
She will also delineate functions and network linkages among the members of the Regional Anti-Hunger Task Force which was recently organized in the region by virtue of President Arroyo's Executive Order No. 616, with NNC as lead and the NEDA and DSWD as secretariat.
ULAP's Dell Santos is expected to outline the role of the LGUs and other affiliated associations in the implementation of the AHMP, especially on how much of the LGU development fund shall ULAP commit to support the program.
Regional Development Council and Antique Governor Salvacion Perez and DOH Director Lydia Depra-Ramos will give the opening messages, while Guimaras Gov. Felipe Hilan Nava will share the province's experience in multi-sectoral approaches for improved nutrition.
Highlighting the Congress will be the giving of the Green Banner Awards for 2006, for Outstanding Municipality in the province and the region, Outstanding City, Outstanding Province, and Outstanding Nutrition Scholars.
Ms. Tad-y said the officers of the Association of Nutrition Advocates in Western Visayas, Inc. will also be inducted during the Congress. (PIA 6)