Bayambang’s Municipal Nutrition Committee: All-Out Against Malnutrition (2025)

 

Bayambang’s Municipal Nutrition Committee: All-Out Against Malnutrition

The Municipal Nutrition Committee (MNC) of Bayambang remains steadfast in its mission to ensure proper nutrition for every Bayambangueño through well-planned, effectively implemented, and closely monitored programs anchored on the Local Nutrition Action Plan.

Among its flagship projects is the 90-Day Dietary Supplementation Program for Pregnant Women—the first and only of its kind in the region—which has benefitted 900 pregnant women through the provision of fresh milk, eggs, iodized salt, biscuits, and fruits. For this initiative, the LGU received the DOH Healthy Pilipinas Award in the Nutrition Category. The MNC also implements the Infant and Young Child Feeding Program, promoting breastfeeding and complementary feeding as part of the First 1000 Days Program.

Through the Operation Timbang Plus, the MNC monitors the nutritional status of children aged 0–59 months, maintaining a reliable database for targeted interventions. To ensure accuracy, all weighing scales in 77 barangays undergo free annual calibration via DOST, complemented by the distribution of 77 height boards and infantometers.

Malnourished children identified in OPT Plus are enrolled in the Routine Dietary Supplementation Program for 6–59-month-olds, sustained since 2016. In partnership with local farmers, the LGU sources fresh produce for feeding programs, extending support to both children and the agricultural sector. Supplemental feeding and door-to-door distribution of eggs and fruits under the Komprehensibong Serbisyo sa Bayan, a roving team offering all municipal government services and now on its 8th year, further strengthens community outreach.

The MNC also enforces Municipal Ordinance No. 2, s. 2020, ensuring the use of fortified food products in line with RA 8976. Complementing this is the monitoring of backyard gardens through the Municipal Agriculture Office to promote sustainable food sources among beneficiaries.

To build capacity, the MNC provides regular training for Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) and Barangay Health Workers. From fewer than 20 BNS in 2016, there is now one per barangay, each receiving performance-based incentives. With the support of local leaders, all barangays now allocate budgets for their nutrition programs, signifying strong grassroots participation.

Moreover, the MNC collaborates with FNRI-DOST for research on exclusive breastfeeding and conducts Nutrition Early Warning System surveys. It also leads the annual Nutrition Month celebration, creatively customizing each activity according to the year’s theme.

From pregnancy to early childhood, Bayambang’s MNC continues to advance comprehensive, science-based, and community-driven programs—proving that collective action is key to ending malnutrition and achieving total quality service in public health and nutrition.