The Muntinlupa City government will designate barangay nutrition scholars (BNS) in each of the nine barangays to strengthen its health program.
Mayor Ruffy Biazon signed Ordinance No. 2023-140, passed by the Muntinlupa City Council, “strengthening the barangay nutrition program by designating at least one (1) barangay nutrition scholar (BNS) per barangay appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.”
Muntinlupa Mayor Ruffy Biazon (Photo from Muntinlupa PIO)
The ordinance is based on Presidential Decree No. 1569, which provides the designation of a BNS in every barangay.
According to the ordinance, “the BNS Program is one of the Philippine Plan Of Action for Nutrition's human resource development strategies.”
“In order to further strengthen the BNS Program In the City, it is appropriate and timely to promulgate a comprehensive local policy through legislation beneficial to Barangay Nutrition Scholars in order to motivate them to sustain and, if necessary, improve their valuable performances and services in implementing the Muntinlupa City Nutrition Action Plan.”
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.”
The qualifications of a BNS are: “Bona fide resident of the barangay for at least four (4) years; b. Possess leadership potential and the initiative and willingness to serve the barangay for at least one (1) year; willingness to learn, and to teach what he/she has learned to the people of the barangay; at least high school graduate; physically and mentally fit; at least eighteen (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 will be co-terminus with the barangay chairman unless there is a reappointment with the concurrence of the Sangguniang Barangay.
The duties of a BNS are:
a. To undergo the required didactic and practicum training as required by law;
b. Locates and identifies malnourished children through a community survey referred to as the Operation Timbang Plus;
c. Based on the results of the annual OPT Plus activity, the BNS weighs monthly all undernourished preschoolers
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 any growth faltering 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 masterlist 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.