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RESULTS OF 2010 OPERATION TIMBANG (OPT) IN NCR

I. Introduction

The most common method of measuring growth is through weighing. An individual’s

weight at a particular age, when compared to a standard is considered as the simplest and

most sensitive indicator of one’s nutritional status. It is useful for rapid screening and

provides a rough estimate of an individual’s nutritional status at present.

Operation Timbang (OPT) is the annual massive weighing of all children aged 0-71 months

in the community to identify and locate the malnourished children. Anthropometric

indicator used is weight-for-age and nutritional status is determined by comparing the actual

weight of the child against a reference growth standards. In 2010, the new World Health

Organization-Child Growth Standards (WHO-CGS) was used and adopted in all the areas in

Metro Manila.

Operation Timbang is one the components of the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition

(PPAN) under its enabling mechanism on “Overall Planning, Management, Coordination

and Surveillance”. Data generated through OPT are used for local nutrition program

planning, particularly in describing the nutritional status of the community, quantifying the

number of malnourished and identifying which barangays have more malnourished children.

Nutritional status data enable local nutrition planners and workers to identify which children

need to be prioritized for nutrition interventions. Results of OPT provide information on the

progress in the nutritional status of preschoolers and the community in general, thus,

providing information on the effectiveness of the local nutrition program. Moreover, OPT

results are used as an effective advocacy tool in generating support for nutrition programs

from local governments and/or other external sources.

II. How Operation Timbang was conducted

Weighing scales used in the OPT are either salter-type or detecto or beam balance scales.

The salter-type weighing scale is commonly used in the community when the weighing is

done house-to-house. Detecto or beam balance weighing scale is used when weighing is

done at the health facility.

The most common strategy used in the conduct of OPT in 2010 was house-to-house. In

some LGUs, the weighing was done at the health center during morbid consultation or at the

community health and nutrition post. Weighing was done mainly by the Barangay Nutrition

Scholars (BNS). Assistance was provided by the Barangay Health Workers (BHWs),

Republika ng Pilipinas

KAGAWARAN NG KALUSUGAN

PAMBANSANG SANGGUNIAN SA NUTRISYON

(NATIONAL NUTRITION COUNCIL)

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

Nutrition Building, 2332 Chino Roces Avenue Extension

Taguig City, Philippines

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midwives, nutritionists, purok/zone leaders, and mother leaders. In Quezon City, student

affiliates and Phil. Army volunteers assisted in conducting the OPT in their barangays.

Other nutrition and health activities were conducted as part of Operation Timbang in many

LGUs. These corollary activities include supplementation of Vitamin A and iron, salt-

testing, deworming, immunization, validation of spot map, nutrition counseling, and

promotion of health and nutrition programs among families.

III. Coverage of weighing

All the 16 cities and one municipality conducted the OPT during the first quarter of 2010

with a 98.5 percent coverage of barangays. A total of 1,746,192 preschoolers or 95.13% of

the total preschoolers were weighed in NCR (Table 1).

Table 1. OPT Coverage per City/Municipality, 2010, NCR

City/

Municipality

Total No.

of

Barangays

Number of

Barangays

with OPT

Results

Percent

Coverage

(%)

Actual

No. of

Preschool

Children

0-71 m/o

Actual No.

of

Preschool

Children

Weighed

Percent

Coverage

(%)

Caloocan 188 187 99.5% 222,472 214,060 96.22%

Malabon 21 21 100.0% 64,016 53,310 83.28%

Navotas 14 14 100.0% 43,529 38,312 88.01%

Valenzuela 32 32 100.0% 91,707 74,155 80.86%

Quezon City 142 139 97.9% 479,622 475,024 99.04%

Marikina City 16 16 100.0% 71,158 62,919 88.42%

Pasig City 30 30 100.0% 95,415 68,843 72.15%

Pateros 10 10 100.0% 10,353 9,205 88.91%

Taguig 28 28 100.0% 88,296 88,038 99.71%

Manila 896 896 100.0% 294,893 248,376 84.23%

Mandaluyong 27 26 96.3% 52,056 49,654 95.39%

Makati City 25 25 100.0% 74,375 59,716 80.29%

San Juan 21 21 100.0% 24,016 17,993 74.92%

Pasay 201 201 100.0% 67,049 60,334 89.98%

Parañaque 16 16 100.0% 84,978 77,689 91.42%

Muntinlupa 9 9 100.0% 71,659 62,902 87.78%

Las Pinas 20 20 100.0% 89,316 85,662 95.91%

TOTAL 1,696 1,671 98.5% 1,924,910 1,746,192 90.72%

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Table 2. Comparison of OPT Coverage per LGU in NCR, 2009-2010

LGU 2009 2010 Remarks

Caloocan 88.91% 96.22% +

Malabon 86.04% 83.28% -

Navotas 89.35% 88.01% -

Valenzuela 77.69% 80.86% +

Quezon City 107.37% 99.04% -

Marikina 92.76% 88.42% -

Pasig 82.78% 72.15% -

Pateros 88.52% 88.91% +

Taguig 100.70% 99.71% -

Manila 82.55% 84.23% +

Mandaluyong 97.73% 95.39% -

Makati 70.38% 80.29% +

San Juan 90.03% 74.92% -

Pasay 91.99% 89.98% -

Parañaque 98.80% 91.42% -

Muntinlupa 85.61% 87.78% +

Las Piñas 103.94% 95.91% -

NCR 92.78% 90.72% +

Note: (+) increased coverage

(-) decreased coverage

Table 2 shows the comparison of OPT coverage of each LGU in 2009 and 2010. Eleven (11)

out of 17 LGUs in the region have a decrease in their OPT coverage in 2010. The reasons for

decreased OPT coverage are the following:

a. elite villages, condominiums and townhouses in some areas are difficult to penetrate

due to strict security and non-cooperation of households

b. high projected population in some areas

c. relocation of some residents to other areas,

d. overlapping of activities of BNSs and other workers involved in the OPT, lesser time

for weighing activities

e. uncooperative barangay officials

f. inadequate manpower and supplies

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IV. Nutritional Status of the Children in NCR

The double burden of malnutrition can still be seen in the region.

Figure 1.

Normal

96.08%

Overweight

1.19%Underweight

2.12%

Severly Underweight

0.61%

Normal

Underweight

Severly

UnderweightOverweight

Figure 1 shows the percentage distribution of nutritional status of preschool children in

NCR in 2010. It is good to note that 96 out of every 100 children have normal nutritional

status. Almost 3 out of every 100 children 0-5 years old were found to be underweight. On

the other hand, one out of every 100 children was found to be overweight.

Table 3. Ranking of Cities/Municipality based on Prevalence of Undernutrition

among Preschoolers 0-71 months old, NCR, 2010

Rank LGU Prevalence Rate (%)

1 Navotas 4.94

2 Malabon 4.21

3 San Juan 4.08

4 Manila 3.93

5 Valenzuela 3.89

6 Pateros 3.34

7 Las Piñas 3.30

8 Parañaque 3.07

9 Pasig City 2.53

10 Caloocan 2.46

11 Quezon City 2.40

12 Muntinlupa 2.39

13 Pasay 2.33

14 Taguig 1.68

15 Mandaluyong 1.65

16 Marikina 0.88

17 Makati 0.81

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Table 3 shows that among the 17 LGUs in the region, the top five areas based on the prevalence

of underweight are: Navotas, Malabon, San Juan, Manila and Quezon City. The City of Makati

has the lowest prevalence of undernutrition in Metro Manila.

V. Problems encountered during OPT

Issues/Problems Recommendation Actions Taken

1. Difficulty in weighing

children living in

condominiums and

subdivision

2. Inadequate manpower to

do the weighing in the

barangays

3. Uncooperative mothers

4. Some mothers do not

know the exact date of

birth of their children

5. Some children are afraid

to be weighed

� Training of mother OPT

Patrol to conduct

monitoring of weight of

children

� Proper coordination with

different sectors within the

community

� Advocate for the hiring of

additional Barangay

Health Aide

� Inform parents about the

importance of OPT

� Intensify advocacy and

promotion of OPT in the

community

� Encourage mothers to keep

the ECCD card of their

children

� Conduct regular weighing

for growth monitoring

purposed so that children

will get used to being

weighed

� Advocacy meeting with

officers of Homeowners

Association

Requested schools to

have the parents of the

children sign the letter of

consent allowing their

children to be weighed.

� Organized OPT

Bayanihan Teams

� Encouraged participation

of community leaders in

the area

� Requested participation

of volunteer workers

� Encouraged mothers to

participate in the OPT

even without incentives

� Referred to old masterlist

of children

� Requested for growth

chart (ECCD card)

� Requested the fathers or

other members to assist

the weighing of their

children

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Issues/Problems Recommendation Actions Taken

6. Lack of support from the

barangay official in terms

of food and transportation

allowances of the health

and nutrition workers and

volunteers

� Advocate for support from

barangay officials and

private organizations

� Requested volunteers to

bring their own “baon” in

the field

Based on the results of the OPT, the following are the specific activities or nutrition interventions

that the local nutrition committees in the region will undertake:

• Strengthened collaboration/coordination with NGOs to conduct programs that will

improve nutritional status of underweight and severely underweight children like

supplementary feeding, prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies,

deworming, etc.

• Continuous advocacy to the barangay council for fund allocation for nutrition

program

• Intensify nutrition education, information dissemination and communication through

activities like Pabasa sa Nutrisyon at the barangay level.

• Constant follow-up/meetings with organized breastfeeding support group to intensify

IYCF campaign

• Lobby for the passage and implementation of barangay ordinances in support of E.O

51 and IYCF and the creation of more breastfeeding support groups in the barangay.

• Intensive and coordinative planning for nutrition program

• Effective implementation of the different nutrition interventions planned

• Allocating funds for nutrition programs

• Organizing/establishing innovative projects on health and nutrition

• Collaboration with different organization, sectors and agencies who can help

improve nutrition status of children

• Training of nutrition service providers to update them with current nutrition

strategies

• Regular coordination with the City Agriculture Office for home, community and

school food production activities