CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – A total of 394,433 undernourished children are expected to benefit from the nationwide School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) which is scheduled to start this month in time for the opening of classes.
The undertaking is an effort of the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) in line with the law institutionalizing a national feeding program for undernourished children in public schools.
In June 2018, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11037 to address the problem of undernutrition among Filipino children through the National Feeding Program of which one of the components is the Milk Feeding Program with fresh milk or fresh milk-based product as additional component to cycle-menu hot meals in the SBFP.
“This program is not only beneficial to undernourished children but also to dairy value chain players as it has created a higher demand for locally produced milk, thus, providing them sustainable livelihood and boosting the local dairy industry,” DA-PCC executive director, Dr. Arnel del Barrio said in a statement.
The DepEd and DA-PCC signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) to embark on the Milk Feeding Program in accordance with the mandates and objectives of RA No. 11037.
The DepEd, through its Bureau of Learner Support Services-School Health Division (BLSS-SHD), will lead the SBFP-Milk Feeding Program component in coordination with DA-PCC as supplier of carabao’s milk.
Some PHP7.09 million has been allocated for the purchase of carabao’s milk to be used in the feeding program.
Meanwhile, the DA-PCC identified and tapped its assisted dairy farmer-cooperatives with valid licenses to operate from Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) as suppliers of milk in the feeding program.
“The DA-PCC, DepEd, and FDA-registered cooperatives had a consultation meeting to determine the volume of carabao’s milk that the co-ops can provide for the program. The total volume that was committed can supply more than 390,000 beneficiaries nationwide,” said Ma. Theresa Sawit, PCC’s senior science research specialist and one of the focal persons for the project.
Under the program, all undernourished kindergarten to Grade 6 pupils, who are also SBFP beneficiaries for hot meals, will receive 200 ml toned carabao’s milk daily for at least 20 feeding days.
“This program is very timely to help boost their immune system against Covid-19 and improve their milk drinking habit as they grow up,” Sawit said.
Due to the global health pandemic, each municipality will have its designated drop-off points for the delivery, inspection, and acceptance of the milk products.
From the drop-off points, DepEd will do a house-to-house distribution of carabao’s milk to the beneficiaries.
Apart from DA-PCC, DepEd also collaborated with the National Dairy Authority for the Milk Feeding Program.
Last July 21, the DA-PCC and the Central Luzon State University launched a milk supplementation program for select undernourished children in Sta. Rosa, Nueva Ecija.
Under the program, a total of 100 children (3-4 years old) will receive 200 ml toned carabao's milk in sachets and milky buns for 60 days. (PNA)
