DSWD earmarks P219 M for supplemental feeding

CEBU, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development -7 has allocated a total of P219 million for its supplementary feeding program under the government’s early childhood care and development program.

The program will benefit the children enrolled in the day care center and those under the supervised neighborhood play groups in Central Visayas.

SFP is the provision of food supplementation in a form of hot meals to be served during snack/meal time to children five days in a week for 120 days. This will be managed by the parents based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food supplies.

DSWD-7 nutritionist Melinda Canares said the program will cover 4,173 day care centers for its third cycle in Central Visayas where some 140,385 pre-schoolers will be served.

This program is aimed at augmenting the program of the LGU-managed day care centers and supervised play groups using indigenous foods and/or locally processed foods equivalent to 1/3 of Recommended Energy Nutrient Intake (RENIs).

The DSWD hopes to improve the knowledge attitude and practices of children enrolled in day care centers, parents and caregivers through intensification of nutrition and health education and lastly improve and sustain the nutritional status of all targeted children.

Canares added that the program covers 2-4 years old children under Supervised Neighborhood Play, 3-4 years old children enrolled in day care centers and 5-year old children not enrolled in the DepEd pre-school but enrolled in LGU managed day care centers.

Children beneficiaries will be weighed at the start of the feeding program and after completing the 120- day feeding cycle to determine improvement and sustenance of their nutritional status.

Components of the program include social preparation, measuring and deworming, feeding, micronutrient supplementation and parent effectiveness and home care session.  (FREEMAN)