140T Central Visayas kids got free food in 2015

CEBU, Philippines - More than 140,000 children aged two to five in Central Visayas have benefited from the Supplementary Feeding Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-7.

Melinda Canares, SFP focal person, said in a statement that majority of the children-beneficiaries are from Cebu with 78,880; while Negros Oriental has 34,461; Bohol, 32,582; and Siquijor, 2,423.

Through SFP, DSWD-7 provides food to children in local government unit-managed day care centers, supervised neighborhood play areas, and communities using indigenous foods and/or locally-produced food equivalent to 1/3 of the recommended energy and nutrient intake, in addition to regular meals they get at home.

The program targets children as part of DSWD’s contribution to the Early Childhood Care and Development program of the government.

Canares said food supplementation was in the form of hot meals served during snack/meal time to children five days a week for 120 days.

The feeding program, she said, was managed by parents based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food supplies.

Canares said that children beneficiaries were weighed at the start of the feeding, after 60 days, and after the completion of 120 feeding days, to determine improvement and sustenance in their nutritional status.

She said that DSWD has allocated P222.5 million for Central Visayas this year.

Of the amount, P178 million were fund transferred to the LGUs for viand provision while P44.5 million was transferred to the National Food Authority for the rice provision.

Gloria Baay, day care teacher for 14 years in Mandaue City, shared that SFP has significantly helped improve the knowledge, attitude and practices of children, parents and caregivers through intensified nutrition and health education.

She said that because of SFP, more children are now enrolled in day care centers due to the free food that they provide.

Baay also said that SFP has improved and sustained the nutritional status of the target children beneficiaries. —(FREEMAN)