Assessment of Barangay Nutrition Action Plan (BNAP) implementation in selected municipalities in Ifugao, Bulacan, Siquijor: Barangay nutrition scholar's perspectives

INTRODUCTION: The Barangay Nutrition Action Plan (BNAP) is the local version of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN), the country's directional framework for nutrition improvement. The Barangay Nutrition Scholars (BNS) spearhead the BNAP implementation.OBJECTIVE: To assess the implementation of BNAP in selected municipalities with high and low prevalence of undernutrition in the province of Ifugao, Bulacan, and Siquijor.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Qualitative method of data collection was employed to assess the BNAP formulation and implementation. A total of 57 BNS consented to participate in a focus group discussion.RESULTS: This paper presents the BNS perspectives on how BNAP is formulated and implemented in their barangays. While program elements that distinguish the low and high prevalence municipalities were observed, unique program elements, which may explain the program impact in terms of of children's nutritional status, cannot be isolated. BNS' perception of the program inputs that contributed to the positive outcome of the BNAP implementation are as follows: political support, functional barangay nutrition committees, support and guidance from their supervisors, and their high credibility in the community as source of nutrition information that serves as their inspiration and motivation. The perceived program processes that contributed to improving the nutritional status of children in the community, are as follows: the presence of inter-agency collaboration, collective formulation of the BNAP, BNS' resourcefulness and innovativeness in soliciting support from other BNC member agencies.DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Across all municipalities, the BNS shared similar program inputs and processes that they perceived can contribute to improved BNAP implementation. They shared similar recommendations ranging from increased budgetary support for nutrition activities, more incentives for BNS (both monetary and non-monetary), security of tenure as BNS and cooperation from the community beneficiaries in their barangays. In high prevalence municipalities, BNS hope that the NNC will take notice of their problems particularly those that relate to BNAP implementation. Majority hopes that their appointment be apolitical to ensure their security of tenure. Some proposed that their Barangay Chairs be oriented on BNAP, BNC, BNS and their important roles in BNAP implementation. Recommendations to improve BNAP implementation included: political support to ensure funding of BNAP, functional BNC, continuous guidance from their supervisors, continuous BNS capacity building to enhance their program management skills and to enable them to effectively promote inter-agency collaboration and sustained advocacy at the national level for the passage of the Magna Carta for BNS that will increase their allowance and provide them with opportunities to upgrade technical capability to efficiently plan and manage local nutrition programs. 

Assessment of Barangay Nutrition Program implementation in selected municipalities in Ifugao, Bulacan and Siquijor: Community partners' perspectives

OBJECTIVES: To characterize the implementation of BNAP in selected barangays in the chosen municipalities in Ifugao, Bulacan and Siquijor. It hopes to a) identify nutrition strategies that worked and did not work based on the perception of the nutrition program beneficiaries and b) identify factors that may have contributed to the accomplishment and non-accomplishment of nutrition program objectives.METHODS: One hundred thirty seven (137) community partners (i.e.mothers with children less than 5 years old) consented to be the respondents in a focus group discussion. The FGD Guide was used to  elicit: a) awareness of barangay nutrition activities focused on their experiences during participation, strong and weak points on how the activities are conducted, b) perception of nutrition activities, perceived benefits derived from participating in nutrition activities and extent of involvement, and c) suggestions to improve and sustain the implementation of barangay nutrition program and their committed role to improve its implementation. Appreciative inquiry approach was used to elicit respondents' satisfaction on the effect of nutrition program on children's health.RESULTS: In general, the respondents across all study barangays, regardless of the prevalence of undernutrition, are aware of the nutrition activities being implemented in their respective barangays and claimed that they have participated in various nutrition interventions implemented by the barangay nutrition scholars (BNS). Some of the reported and observed "positive" effects of nutrition activities in the study barangays  include: children's weight improved, learned to eat vegetables and appetite improved-no longer a picky eater, and mothers learned more nutritious recipes to serve their family. Some respondents however, think otherwise, because their children are still underweight, became more sickly after receiving vaccination and have not observed any improvement in the nutritional status of the children in their barangay.CONCLUSION: Variations in the BNAP implementation were observed in this study. The nutrition program components that distinguish the low and high prevalence municipalities were evident based on the respondents' reported activities. The variety of nutrition activities were dependent on the adequacy of logistical support and commitment of the BNS in pursuing what is indicated in the BNAP as crucial to improve nutrition program management. However, unique program elements as experienced by some coming from low or high prevalence barangays cannot be used to explain the effect of the program in terms of nutritional status of the preschool children  as reflected in the annual OPT and hence cannot be isolated.  The inputs (i.e. barangay logistical support) and processes (i.e. nutrition activities) considered critical in program management are similarly found in both low and high prevalence provinces and municipalities.  Across all study areas, respondents find the nutrition advice given by the BNS helpful in the care of their children. It can be concluded that the planned nutrition activities in the BNAP anchored on PPAN are known and participated in by the respondents. The nutrition activities were aligned and consistent with what is reflected in the BNAP, are aligned with the MNAP and to some extent to PPAN.