The Iloilo Provincial Health Office continues with its appeal to the mayors and barangay captains to prioritize health and nutrition and allocate a substantial amount of budget for these programs to help achieve a malnutrition-free Iloilo.
In a press conference during the launch of the Nutrition Month Celebration on July 8, 2024, Provincial Health Officer I Dr. Wendel Tupas-Marcelo said there is a need for the local government units to have “a sense of ownership” in terms of implementing nutrition programs.
Marcelo said the commitment of local chief executives is crucial as they are the decision-makers and they know the real situation on the ground.
“We always emphasize that nutrition is not just a program of the province and its partners. But it is also their program. With ‘ownership’ means LGUs should include nutrition programs in their local nutrition action plan and set aside a budget,” Marcelo said.
Provincial Health Office chief Dr. Maria Socorro Quiñon underscored the need for unified action with the LGUs in ensuring the effectiveness and sustainability of nutrition initiatives.
She added that the provincial government can only provide augmentation, but a big chunk of the budget should come from the municipalities and barangays.
“I often say this, and I will repeat it. I have the highest respect for those who put nutrition as their priority because it means they know what they are doing,” Quiñon said.
Quiñon noted that despite the efforts of the PHO and its partners, achieving a malnutrition-free province remains a challenging task. She said the barangay captains and the mayors should be the prime movers in the campaign for reducing the prevalence of malnutrition in the province of Iloilo. (Capitol News)
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