BARMM Gov’t, stakeholders pledge to end malnutrition for healthier community

COTABATO CITY — Bangsamoro Government and other stakeholders vowed to end malnutrition in the region during the launching of Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (RPAN) 2020-2022 on Friday. 

RPAN 2020-2022 is a strategic and comprehensive plan to respond with the nutritional problems in the Bangsamoro region.

Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) Parliament Speaker Atty. Ali Pangalian Balindong Sr., OIC Health Minister Dr. Amirel Usman, Interior and Local Government Minister Atty. Naguib Sinarimbo, Education Minister Mohager Iqbal, Social Services Minister Atty. Raissa Jajurie, Labor and Employment Minister Romeo Sema, and Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform Minister Dr. Mohammad Yacob delivered their messages of commitment for the harmonized implementation of the RPAN 2020-2022. 

Also, international partner agencies such as United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) Mindanao Field Officer Chief Mr. Andrew Morris, World Food Program (WFP) Country Director Brenda Barton, Food and Agriculture (FAO) –UN representative Hang Pham, and Health Organization for Mindanao (HOM) gave their support via teleconferencing.

The Regional Nutrition Committee of the Bangsamoro Government introduced RPAN 2020-2022, which consists of 11 programs and 53 projects. 

The programs include nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific programs, covering problems on Infant and Young Child Feeding (IYCF) and its first 1000 days, dietary supplementation, micronutrients and supplementation, nutrition promotion for behavior change, mandatory food fortification, nutrition in emergencies, Philippine Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (PIMAM), Adolescent health, overweight and obesity management intervention, and nutrition-sensitive and enabling program.

Consequently, the said programs follow certain stages set by the Department of Health (DOH) and the major programs of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN) 2017-2022. Additional programs are also included to reflect the huge challenge of adolescent health, particularly on the prevalence of pregnancy in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM). 

During the launching ceremony, BARMM Executive Secretary Abdulraof Macacua, representing Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim, received the documents of RPAN 2020-2022 from the Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator for BARMM Dr. Kadil Sinolinding.

Ebrahim, who is also a member of the regional nutrition committee said via video message that with RPAN 2020-2022, the regional government could figure out necessary measures to ensure a healthy Bangsamoro community. 

“The document set for launching today allows us to see another aspect of rebuilding Bangsamoro, not just during this transition period, but the countermeasures that the Nutrition Council has prepared because of the sudden disaster brought by the Covid-19,” Ebrahim said.

Meanwhile, Sinolinding provided data on the prevalence of malnourished and undernutrition among children in the region. He underscored the importance of intensifying mobilization of local government units and reaching out Geographically-Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs) and indigenous peoples.

“The role of LGU is so important and our local chief executives remain as the champion of nutrition in their own territories,” he said.

Bangsamoro Planning and Development Authority (BPDA) Director-General Engr. Mohajirin Ali said, “as agents of the government, we have the duty to take part in all government endeavors to promote and support for improved nutrition and assist those who are unable to enjoy the right to good nutrition.”

Friday’s event carried the theme "Sa RPAN, Maging Malusog, Matalino, at Matangkad ang Batang Moro!" (Bangsamoro Information Office)