KABUGAO, Apayao – The province has been awarded the Green Banner Award following a successful Monitoring and Evaluation of Local Level Plan Implementation Protocol (MELLPI Pro) held on May 22, 2025, at the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Hall.
The recognition is a huge milestone in the province’s campaign against malnutrition, with the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team (RNET) giving Apayao an overall rating of 86.30, a notable improvement from its 2023 score of 75.56.
The evaluation assessed nutrition program implementation in local government units through site validation, document reviews, and stakeholder interviews.
In his welcome remarks, Provincial Health Officer Dr. Mark Joleen Calban, thanked the evaluators and acknowledged the efforts of the Provincial Nutrition Council and its technical working group.
“This is the third MELLPI Pro evaluation for Apayao. We extend our deepest thanks to the Regional Nutrition Evaluation Team for their unwavering support and technical assistance. Our council and technical working group have worked tirelessly to implement and deliver nutrition programs throughout the province. Regardless of the result, we know we are doing our best to serve our constituents,” Calban said.
Provincial Nutrition Action Officer Mark Joleen Calban cited the province’s strengthened coordination across sectors, regular capacity-building activities for health workers and barangay nutrition scholars, data-driven planning and monitoring, active community engagement, efficient resource allocation, and the integration of nutrition in local development plans as key contributors to this recognition.
Upon learning of the result, Calban said, “Honestly, I felt genuinely inspired and hopeful. It is heartening to see our province make such meaningful progress in addressing malnutrition because this is a complex and persistent issue.”
The evaluation team included representatives from Cordillera offices of the Department of Interior and Local Government, Public Information Office, Department of Social Welfare and Development, the National Nutrition Council, and the Nutritionist-Dietitians’ Association of the Philippines–Baguio Benguet Chapter, whose findings and recommendations will guide the next phase of Apayao’s local nutrition efforts. By Loremia Pareja
