Following a comprehensive assessment by a regional evaluation team, the Provincial Nutrition Committee convened on May 30, 2025 for their joint 1st Semester Meeting and Exit Conference for the Regional Monitoring and Evaluation of the Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro) team. The meeting took place in the Paniqui Hall, Patricio Dumlao Sr. Executive Building, Capitol Compound, Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
The meeting was presided over by the Nutrition Division, led by Nutrition Officer IV Luzviminda Ragpa with SP Board Member and Health Committee Chairperson Eunice Galima-Gambol. Representatives from the various provincial agencies and municipal LGUs were in attendance. BM Gambol formally opened the meeting with words of gratitude after their acknowledgement. “On behalf of Governor Atty. Jose V. Gambito, I thank you for being with us today. Let us continue to work together for the health of our constituency and especially our children.”
The evaluation was done not only on the provincial level, but also on the municipal level. According to Mr. Edzell Arcinue of the National Nutrition Council Region 2 (NNC R2), Nueva Vizcaya has improved in Nutrition since its last assessment only the year prior; cited specifically are their management of their documentation, consistency, and support from leaders that are particular to the province. Mr. Arcinue commended the Nutrition Division for their hands-on approach to the enactment of projects and ordinances, but also their meticulous documentation. Of the fifteen municipalities in Nueva Vizcaya, five had earned the National Nutrition Council’s Nutrition Honor Award, which the evaluation team had then visited to assess their maintenance of the Nutrition mandates that had earned them such. While the municipalities consistently maintained the standards that earned the award, Mr. Arcinue pointed out some struggle in the municipality of Aritao, and expressed the hope that their score would improve the following year.
The improvement in Nutrition can be seen in the provincial and municipal local government units’ various initiatives and programs, as well as the nutritional status of the constituency. The Population Division was praised for their strong policy against teenage pregnancy. The evaluation team also commended the province’s diligence in its many initiatives: comprehensive Nutrition education in collaboration with the Department of Education, infrastructure and disaster provisions in collaboration with the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, the promotion of healthy lifestyle which included the exercise programs within the provincial government itself (yoga and Zumba classes), community gardens, etc. The province was also praised for its hard work in conducting trainings ‘right down to the barangay level’. The active celebration of events such as Nutrition Month and Breastfeeding Awareness Month was also noted. The strong connections of the provincial government with their partner agencies and stakeholders were another point of praise.
Though Nueva Vizcaya was commended for its high scores, the evaluation also revealed some points of improvement on the part of the provincial government, such as the need for greater definition and information dissemination for Nutrition. According to NO III Reizle Caddawan, there is a need for more ‘direction’ in the implementation of Nutrition mandates. The evaluation team suggested the increase of the ‘presence and knowledge’ of the Nutrition Vision-Mission statement and the inclusion of this information in materials. Some concerns were on position designations for organizations and programs, with the evaluation team stating that there is the need to ‘consolidate support groups’, the need for ‘nutrition stations’ certified by the Department of Health Region 2 (DOH), trained personnel, an executive order for the treatment and management of malnourished children, continuous medical assistance for the marginalized, etc. The evaluation team recommended that the provincial government also enact the same diligence as the municipal local government units in using the forms provided by the NNC. There was also an expressed ‘need for the presence of department heads in the documentation’. With all achievements and concerns in mind, the evaluation team concluded that the outcomes for Nueva Vizcaya were ‘very positive’, with a ‘big improvement from last year,’ and expressed the hope that the provincial level would be awarded alongside the municipalities. Aside from the above, another suggestion made for ‘perfect scores’ was the integration of Nutrition projects, programs, and activities to all offices. The evaluation team also pointed out that the province’s many improvements may be attributed to their application of the feedback given the year prior.
BM Gambol expressed her gratitude at the regional team’s efforts and reporting, as well as her newfound knowledge of the impact of the work of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. BM Gambol also stated that she was looking forward to the implementation of the Nutrition bills of which she was author, including the Healthy Procurement bill. The Nutrition Division and BM Gambol were congratulated on the 100% implementation of their projects, programs, and activities.
The conclusion of the meeting included the announcement of the regional Nutrition Month celebration to be hosted by Nueva Vizcaya, with its launch point being in Quezon. The Nutrition Division was called upon to meet the challenge of the regional team for the improvement of the Nutrition concern areas in the constituency, to perfect scores in all areas, to the ‘possibility of a national level award’. The priorities of the Nutrition Division, and SP Board Member Eunice Galima-Gambol, and by extension the provincial government of Nueva Vizcaya, however, remain steadfast, as encapsulated by the closing remarks of BM Gambol: “We are doing good for the province.” /igmb
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