Nutrition scholars to be appointed in every barangay in Muntinlupa City

Muntinlupa City Mayor Ruffy Biazon recently signed a municipal ordinance passed by the City Council designating at least one Barangay Nutrition Scholar or BNS for each of its nine barangays to strengthen the city's barangay nutrition program. 

Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon (Photo from Muntinlupa PIO)

“The BNS Program is one of the Philippine Plan Of Action for Nutrition's human resource development strategies” according to the ordinance based on Presidential Decree No. 1569, which requires the designation of a BNS in every barangay. 

A barangay nutrition scholar is “a barangay-based volunteer worker responsible for delivering nutrition services and other related activities such as community health, backyard food production, environmental sanitation, culture, mental feeding, and family planning to the barangay.” 

"To qualify, a BNS should be  a) a bona fide resident of the barangay for at least four years; b. possess leadership potential and the initiative and willingness to serve the barangay for at least one year; willing to learn and teach what he/she has learned to barangay residents; at least a high school graduate; physically and mentally fit; at least 18 but not more than 65 years old; and willing to report to the health center for the agreed number of hours.” 

The appointment of a BNS is co-terminus with the barangay chairman unless reappointment with the concurrence of the Sangguniang Barangay. 

The duties of a BNS are: 

a. To undergo the required training as required by law;

b. Locates and identifies malnourished children through a community survey called Operation Timbang Plus; 

c. Based on the results of the annual survey, the BNS weighs all undernourished preschoolers monthly;

d. Monitors the growth of all 0-23 month-old children to evaluate if the children are reaching their growth targets according to the accepted child growth standard;

e. Performs quarterly follow-up weighing of children, 24-59 months old, to monitor their growth rate and determine any need for counseling of parents and/or caregivers or referral to appropriate service providers;

f. Engages the community to action by organizing families into clusters or into community-based organizations working and helping the barangay to improve the nutrition situation among the vulnerable;

g. With the barangay master list of wasted, stunted, under and overweight children, pregnant and lactating mothers, the BNS links the people needing nutrition intervention and the barangay service providers 

h. Performs other functions as may be provided by ordinance, law and other CNC mandated policies. (Read original story at: MANILA BULLETIN)