Nutrition evaluators visit Santa Rosa for practicum

The Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team/Regional Technical Working Group of the CALABARZON and MIMAROPA Regions of the National Nutrition Council visited the City of Santa Rosa for their Orientation-Practicum last March 18-19, 2014.

According to Carina Santiago, Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator for NNC-

CALABARZON and Officer-in-Charge in NNC-MIMAROPA, the teams “agreed to have this activity to improve their individual knowledge and skills in assessing efficiency and effectiveness of Local Level Plan Implementation, especially now that we have new members in the RNET/RTWG, as well as to actualize and standardize protocol during actual MELLPI and BNS evaluation.”

The National Nutrition Council in Region 4A and 4B already has the schedule for the Monitoring and Evaluation of the Local Level Plan Implementation (MELLPI) and Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) Evaluation for the year. The City of Santa Rosa was scheduled to be visited last April 22-24, 2014.

“We chose to visit the City of Santa Rosa because we believe this is a very good venue for the orientation-practicum as your city has been awarded as the 2012 Outstanding City in the CALABARZON Region in the Field of nutrition programs and has been honored many times during the previous years,” said Santiago. The group visited the barangays of Kanluran, Caingin and Tagapo for their practicum.

The group was received by Vice Mayor Arnel DC. Gomez during their courtesy call at the Santa Rosa City Hall on March 18, 2014.

As he welcomed the group, Gomez expressed openness to receive suggestions from the team so that the City can better improve its nutrition services. "Salamat po sa pagpili ninyo sa Lungsod ng Santa Rosa upang maging sample for your practicum. At para mas maging magandang example o model ang Santa Rosa pagdating sa programang pang-nutrisyon, napakahalaga po ng inyong inputs bilang kayo ang evaluators sa region natin,” he said.

An advocate of fit and healthy lifestyle, Gomez added “Kapag healthy ang lungsod at mamamayan nito, mababawasan ang gastusin ng pamahalaan sa pagpapa-ospital at gamot. Bunga nito ay mas malaking budget naman para sa iba pang programang kinakailangan din ng taumbayan.”

Gomez, along with City Nutrition Action Officer Carmencita Catindig and City Councilor Antonia Laserna, welcomed the group. Mayor Arlene B. Arcillas was out of the country at that time for the “Urbanisation and Sustainable Development,” an event organized by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) held in Berlin, Germany from March 19-22, 2014.

The City recently received the Green Banner Award from the National Nutrition Council Region IV-A during the 2013 Joint Regional Nutrition Awarding Ceremony for CALABARZON & MIMAROPA held on December 6, 2013 at the Heritage Hotel, Pasay City. Mayor Arcillas personally received the accolade.

Aside from the Green Banner Award, Barangay Tagapo also received the City Outstanding Barangay and Outstanding Barangay in the Region, while Barangay Nutrition Scholar Menue Batitis assigned in Barangay Tagapo was also recognized as the City Outstanding BNS and for being a Finalist in the Search for the 2012 Regional Outstanding BNS in the CALABARZON Region. (CIO Santa Rosa/MVC)