DSWD 7 spends P38.4M for feeding program

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has spent millions for the purchase of rice for its supplementary feeding program (SPF), which will be distributed to day care centers all over Central Visayas.

DSWD-7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said they have already spent P38,424,600 million to purchase rice from the National Food Authority (NFA), which will benefit 4,072 day care centers from all over the region.

At least 128,082 pre-schoolers will benefit from the program.

The program is in partnership with the local government units (LGUs) and Day Care Centers. It aims to provide supplementary food to day-care children aged three to five years old. Macapobre said that it is in the form of hot meals served either as breakfast or afternoon snack for five days a week for the period of 120 days.

The amount of P167,376,550 was also disbursed to 132 LGUs for the purchase of vegetables, meat and poultry products to complete the meal, and further enhance the nutritional value of children’s meal, Macapobre said.

Macapobre also said the budget includes the purchase of eating and cooking utensils.

Parents will manage the feeding program based on a prepared cycle menu using available indigenous food materials.

The children’s weights and heights are taken at the start of the feeding program and monitored every month to determine improvements in their nutritional status.

This program aims to provide augmentation support for feeding program in LGU-managed day care centers, using indigenous foods and other available foods equivalent to one third of the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENIs).

The feeding helps to improve knowledge, attitude and practices of parents and caregivers through intensified nutrition and health education; improve and sustain the nutritional status of all target children, and to assess and manage any health and nutrition-related problems.

DSWD-7 Nutritionist Dietician Melinda Canares also said that the program will not only boost the health of the targeted children but also encourage the parents to be responsible in preparing inexpensive nutritional meals from resources that are available in their community. — (FREEMAN)