MALACANANG, Philippines- Malacanang said the government has appropriated an over 1 billion-peso program aimed at eradicating malnutrition among school children, Malacanang said Sunday.
Presidential Communication Operations Office Herminio Coloma, Jr., told reporters in a press briefing aired over radio station dzRB Radyo ng Bayan this is a school-based feeding program.
He said the lead agency for this program is the National Nutrition Council which is under the Department of Health in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Higher Education.
“Pinapatupad po ‘yon (program) sa loob ng 120 araw at pagkatapos ng pag-release ng standardized malunggay recipe, at meron po silang tinatawag na 20-day cycle menu, at ang nationwide implementation ay pinopondohan ng General Appropriations Act. Ang pangkalahatang budget para diyan ay isang bilyon walumpung milyong piso (P1,080,000,000),” Coloma explained.
Under this program school canteens were given guidelines on how to provide proper nutrition to school children. This included not serving junk foods and only giving nutrition-rich foods such as fruits and vegetables.
Coloma added that this is apart from the supplementary feeding program being implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development and separate from feeding programs of the Local Government Units in partnership with private groups and corporations.
“Ang mga programa pong ito ay naglalayon na ibalik sa normal na kalagayang pang-nutrisyon ang ating mga kabataang mag-aaral,” Coloma said.
