BAGUIO CITY – The Regional Social Development Committee (RSDC) of the Cordillera Regional Development Council (RDC-CAR) endorsed two regional plans of action that address the welfare of children and promote proper nutrition across all ages in the region during its 1st Quarter Regular meeting on February 13, 2024, at the RDC Hall, Baguio City.
The Cordillera Regional Plan of Action for Children (CAR RPAC) 2024-2028 is a document dedicated to the welfare and rights of every Cordilleran child. The CAR RPAC 2024-2028 sets out a comprehensive plan of action that addresses issues and concerns under the Regional Situational Analysis of Children (RSAC) 2020-2021.
It provides a regional roadmap for the implementation of relevant policies and programs that promote and protect children’s rights to survival, development, protection, and participation. This was presented to the Committee by Department of Social Welfare and Development-CAR Assistant Regional Director Amelyn Cabrera and Maricel Aquison.
The Cordillera Regional Plan of Action for Nutrition (CAR RPAN) 2023-2028 forwards a context-specific nutrition action plan that addresses malnutrition, improves nutritional well-being, strengthens nutrition governance, and sustains the gains of the RPAN 2017-2022 in the region.
In support of the RPAN, the Committee adopted the Convergence Program on Health and Nutrition as the Committee’s Banner Program for the year. Victor A. Delposo, Jr. of DOH-Cordillera Center for Health Development discussed the features of the proposed banner program, which aims to boost health and improve nutrition by conducting multi-year intervention programs to address malnutrition in identified municipalities.
These programs align with the CAR Regional Development Plan (RDP) 2023-2028, the Philippine/Regional/Local Plan of Action on Nutrition, and National Objectives for Health.
The Cordillera Regional Implementation and Coordination Team for Population, Health, Nutrition, Responsible Parenthood, and Reproductive Health, one of the four subcommittees of the RSDC, will spearhead the launching of this convergent intervention program in identified areas in the Cordillera. The municipality of Paracelis in Mountain Province is the pilot municipality following the technical assessment and review conducted by the RICT-Regional Nutrition Committee.
The RSDC CAR endorsed both regional action plans as these are fully aligned with the Philippine and Cordillera Regional Development Plans (PDP and CRDP) 2023-2028 and the attainment of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
Furthermore, the Committee believes that these plans will greatly enhance the quality of life of each Cordilleran.
The RPAN CAR 2023-2028 and RPAC CAR 2024-2028 were drafted in coordination with different agencies to gather inputs and ensure the commitment of key regional agencies. The NNC, which serves as the Secretariat of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC), formulated the RPAN, while the Regional Sub-Committee for the Welfare of Children (RSCWC) finalized the RPAC CAR 2024-2028. The RSCWC is chaired by the DSWD-CAR. By Jose V. Costales
