Question & AnswerQ&A (LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 441)
The Department of Social Welfare is designated as the principal agency in charge of the nationwide food assistance program for malnourished children.
The Department of Social Welfare primarily concentrates on second-degree malnourished children.
The Department of Agriculture is directed to mount a production program to increase production of legumes, beans, vegetables, fruits, livestock, poultry, and fishery products; and to provide extension services to farm housewives for nutrition education.
It is directed to include subjects on basic nutrition and techniques in nutrition education in the school curriculum at all levels, including allied courses such as Medicine, Nursing, Agriculture, Midwifery, Social Work, and Education.
The Department of Health is the principal agency responsible for the treatment and rehabilitation of severely malnourished children using Mal-Wards in hospitals and Rural Health Units and obtaining food commodity support from the Nutrition Center of the Philippines.
It is directed to establish functioning nutrition committees at every level (region, province, city, municipality) and assist sub-barangay nutrition units to implement a national nutrition plan and formulate jurisdictional plans to be integrated into a national plan.
The Budget Commission is directed to allocate funds as reasonably possible for the program, approve needed budgets for each department, and place Food and Nutrition programs as one of the top priority programs of the New Society.
The National Nutrition Council is directed to provide allowances for all field nutrition workers, establish a national nutrition surveillance scheme, coordinate with ASEAN countries on regional nutrition programs, and endorse equipment purchases for nutrition programs.
Yes, all purchases of equipment and capital outlays needed by the nutrition programs are authorized as an exception to Memorandum Circular No. 593, Series of 1972, upon prior favorable endorsement of the National Nutrition Council.