Fayette C. Riñen
CEBU, April 25 (PIA) – Most local government units fail to
prioritize nutrition programs in their localities because of lack of awareness
and education on the importance of nutrition and its link to diseases and
achieving healthy communities.
Chief of the Nutrition Information and Education Division of the
National Nutrition Council (NNC) Jovita Raval said, most local chief
executives have little support to nutrition and other related programs because
they do not know their exact role as nutrition council chairman in the
provincial, city and municipal level.
“The role of barangay nutrition scholars is very critical to rally
the support of the barangay nutrition committee to implement nutrition and
other related programs,” said Raval.
The head of the barangay nutrition committee is the barangay
chairman and likewise the mayor and governor in the municipal, city and the
provincial level respectively.
Under PD 1569, each barangay must appoint its own BNS, which
however is voluntary in nature while the law only stipulated an honorarium of
P15/month. The Presidential Decree was issued by the late President Ferdinand
Marcos in 1978.
Raval said it is now rallying together with the BNS National
Federation to seek amendments to the over 30-year old decree for better cash
incentives to the BNS.
Raval cited that a 2008 survey conducted by the Food Nutrition
Research Institute (FNRI) showed 70 percent of households do not have energy
requirements while 13 percent of households do not have enough money to buy
their food requirements.
Thirty percent of pre-school children are malnourished with
stunted growth while 76 percent of pre-school children are underweight for
their age with 71 percent wasted and at risk of dying, disclosed Raval.
The NNC official also said obesity among pre-school children also
grew from one percent in the 1990s to five percent in 2000 while 25 percent of
adults are also obese.
Raval however, was quick to state that due to government’s
interventions, micronutrient malnutrition status among pre-school children had
a slight improvement. Micronutrient malnutrition commonly referred to as
‘hidden hunger’ refers to deficiencies in Vitamin A, iron and iodine.
Raval said though the BNS are mainly volunteers and do not receive
any salary, they play a very crucial role by ensuring the delivery of
nutrition-related services to the local community which can efficiently be done
with the total support of the local chief executives.
“It is very important for the BNS to work closely with the
nutrition committees and rally for their support to ensure that nutrition needs
are met down to the barangay level,” said Raval.
Raval said meeting the nutrition needs of local communities also
consequently prevents the onset of diseases linked to malnutrition later on in
life which compromises productivity. But for children, malnutrition can cause
stunting of growth, slow mental development and slowed physical development
among others, added Raval.
Over 1,000 BNS are in Cebu for the two-day 3rd National Conference
of Barangay Nutrition Scholars which will end today. (mbcn/fcr/PIA7)