182K pupils in Bicol benefit from school-based feeding program

LEGAZPI CITY – A total of 182,462 pupils from Kindergarten to Grade 6 in Bicol Region are recipients of the Department of Education (DepEd) School-Based Feeding Program for school year 2019-2020.

Marites Rabulan, nutritionist of DepEd-Bicol, in a press conference early this week said the undertaking aims to improve classroom attendance and performance of students in public schools.

“The said beneficiaries come from 3,109 public schools in Bicol and include undernourished learners, who shall be provided for at least 120 feeding days," Rabulan said, adding this would improve the children’s health and nutrition as well as behavior.

Rabulan noted, however, that not all public schools in the region would benefit from the school feeding program since some schools do not have undernourished learners.

Some schools also have unliquidated releases for the previous feeding activities.

Documents showed the feeding activity will prioritize the Severely Wasted and Wasted pupils, or those who do not conform to the ideal height and weight based on the health chart.

Of the 13 schools’ division in the region, Camarines Sur has the highest number of beneficiaries with 66,983; followed by Albay-25,806; Masbate-24,661; Camarines Norte-20,702; Sorsogon-16,678; and Catanduanes-7,373.

For cities, Naga City has the highest with 3,689 beneficiaries; Sorsogon City-3,629; Legazpi City-3,462; Ligao City-3,303; Tabaco city-3,155; Iriga City with 1,552 and Masbate City-1,469.

Rabulan said a total of PHP394 million has been allocated for the feeding program this year.

“It will be PHP18 per learner per day for 120 days and it will be a lunch meal that will be served,” she said. (PNA)