PALO, LEYTE - A total of about 120 local government units in Eastern Visayas is now equipped with the knowledge and skills on how to effectively integrate nutrition of Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) programs and projects in the updating of Provincial Development and Physical Framework Plan (PDPFP), Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and the Local Development Investment Program (LDIP) Fiscal Year 2020-2022.

The planning workshop on integrating nutrition in the PDPFP, CDP and LDIPs was conceived primarily to: (1) increase the understanding of provincial/city/municipal teams on the alarming problem of malnutrition in the country and its impact on national and local development, and the need to scale up nutrition in their plans and budgets by effectively making the case of why and how to invest in nutrition; (2) effectively integrate PPAN programs and projects in the updating of PDPFPs, CDPs and LDIPs FY 2020-2022;(3) further strengthen the capacity for factoring nutrition in the overall preparation of PDPFPs, CDPs and LDIPs FY 2020-2022 among development stakeholders; and (4) In the process of integrating nutrition in the updating of PDPFPs, CDPs and LDIPs FY 2020-2022, formulate local nutrition action plans for these local government units.

The government have strengthened the implementation of nutrition related programs through its policy issuances in 2018and 2019. The DILG and DBM issued national policies supporting nutrition actions at the local level – DILG Memorandum Circular 2018-42 dated 26 March 2018: Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Plan of Actionfor Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022. The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) issued two policies: (1) National Budget Memorandum No. 130 dated 13 April 2018: Budget Priorities Framework for the Preparation of the FY 2019 Budget Proposals under Tier 2, to guide departments and agencies in the crafting of their Tier 2 budget proposals and (2) Local Budget Memorandum No. 77 and 77a: FY2019 Internal Revenue Allotment and Guidelines on the Preparation of the FY 2019 Budgets of Local Government Units to prescribe guidelines in the preparation of the FY 2019 budgets of LGUs, identify priorities in the use of the IRA and other local resources. Republic Act 11037: “MasustansyangPagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act”, provides for a comprehensive national feeding program for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools. Republic Act 11148:“Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act” instructs national government agencies and local governments to scale up health and nutrition actions to secure the health and nutritional well-being of mother and children in the first 1000 days.