by Gemma Tabao

Tacloban City (25 October) -- In response to the president's call to address the malnutrition problem in the country, several nutrition initiatives are currently undertaken by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) region 8, as headed by its dynamic regional director, Carina Santiago.

Along with the activities the NNC gets active with is its on-going monitoring and evaluation of the local level nutrition program implementation. This is being done in all provinces all over the region in coordination with the different government agencies.

The evaluation which is considered a regular task of the Nutrition Technical Working Group, is also in preparation for the annual recognition and awarding of nutrition program top performers and implementers..

During the process, the team carefully measures nutrition program effectiveness so with its impact to the community particularly to the target beneficiaries - the children, the youth and the mothers.

Also considered in the assessment are the basic health, nutrition programs and services like micronutrient supplementation, food fortification, food assistance, home and community food production, integration of nutrition education in the elementary and secondary school curriculum, as well as the creation of health and nutrition posts in the community.

Passage of ordinances and resolutions is likewise being considered by the evaluators so as to confirm the support of local government officials to the to the government's health and nutrition efforts.