Labella proposes revival of 'baon' system for kids

With schoolchildren already back to their respective schools, a proposal has been raised at the city council to urge parents and school administrators to promote the revival of the old "baon" system.

Councilor Edgardo Labella authored a resolution asking the Department of Education, and the Department of Health, to encourage parents to go back to the "baon" practice of the past instead of letting children buy food from ambulant or sidewalk vendors, as is now commonly done.

Labella said the "baon" system is an old practice of preparing clean and nutritious food at home that schoolchildren or students will take to school for their lunch or snacks.

Labella said that homemade "baon" is an assurance that schoolchildren will be consuming meals that are clean, safe and nutritious. "Street foods are laden with germs that may cause various diseases or even food poisoning," he said.

The "baon" system once revived would keep schoolchildren away from foods peddled on the streets and, as a result, would safeguard them from risks of eating unsafe and unsanitary foods.

A survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology indicated that children who patronize foods from ambulant or sidewalk vendors are at high risk to various diseases.

"These diseases that threaten schoolchildren could easily be prevented if parents return to the good old practice of preparing the baon of their children," said Labella citing the local government code that empowers the city government to protect the health of schoolchildren. - Garry B. Lao