The Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) is conducting the online dissemination of results of the 2019 Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS) in 39 provinces and highly-urbanized cities (HUCs) starting October 20, 2020 until November 20, 2020.
The online dissemination will provide local food, health and nutrition data that will generate more specific responses and programs to the prevailing concerns of the province or HUC. The online dissemination were already conducted: October 20: Quirino Province, Rizal Province and Kalinga; October 21: Benguet, Quezon Province and Camarines Sur; October 22: Agusan Del Norte and Marinduque; October 27: Palawan Province, Puerto Princesa City and Dinagat Islands; October 28: Davao del Norte, Lanao del Sur and Davao Oriental; and October 29: Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Misamis Occidental.
The DOST Regional Directors welcomed virtual participants in the respective areas and gave assurance of support to programs for nutrition. Meanwhile, Dr. Imelda Angeles-Agdeppa, Chief Science Research Specialist, Scientist II and Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Director, hoped that the “pre-pandemic” data of DOST-FNRI will be used in crafting programs that will not only address the prevailing nutrition and health problems but also catch-up with the impacts of pandemic.
Technical staff from the Nutritional Assessment and Monitoring Division (NAMD) of the DOST-FNRI presented the results on the total households and individuals covered in the survey, socioeconomic and demographic profile of households and individuals, household food security and nutritional status by life stages, from infants and young children to elderly.
A call to action by the governor or city mayor or their representatives, and the Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator (RNPC) followed after the presentations to respond to the results and presented the next steps of the local government unit (LGU) to address the problems identified. Among the local chief executives who have attended the series of virtual dissemination fora were Quirino Governor Dakila Carlo E. Cua, Agusan Del Norte Governor Dale B. Corvera, Misamis Occidental Governor Philip T. Tan and some municipal mayors.
Dr. Anthony P. Calibo, Deputy Director of DOST-FNRI, encouraged the LGUs to see the on-going crisis as a take-off to bounce back higher in improving the nutrition situation in their localities, work together with other agencies and organizations and maximize use of local technologies, such as those developed by FNRI.
The online dissemination fora are participated in by provincial, city and municipal nutrition action officers, provincial, city and municipal health officers, local planning and develop officers, district nutrition coordinators, DOST Regional Office and Provincial Science and Technology Center staff and barangay officials.
The remaining areas that will have the online dissemination in November are: Paranaque City, Misamis Oriental, Malabon City, Bukidnon, Basilan, Guimaras, Antique, Pangasinan, Angeles City, Zamboanga City, Zamboanga Sibugay, Zamboanga del Sur, Surigao del Sur, Lanao del Norte, Cebu Province, Lapu-Lapu City, Ilocos Norte, South Cotabato, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Marikina City and Pateros.
