Over a thousand grade school kids in Quezon City can look forward to free, healthy snacks in class.
The Quezon City government has launched a feeding program in schools which register the highest cases of malnutrition in a bid to fight child hunger even away from home.
Mayor Herbert Bautista led the Healthy and Bibo Kids Feeding Program which aims to distribute vitamin-fortified snacks to schoolchildren not just for a day but for four whole months.
The program, which will benefit 1,380 kids from Grades 1 to 3 in five public elementary schools, aims to address the correlation between substandard mental performance and poor physical health of pupils.
These schools are: San Jose Elementary School (District I); Culiat Elementary School (District II-A); Payatas B Elementary School (District II-B); Balara Elementary School (District III) and San Vicente Elementary School (District IV).
“Hot porridge is not enough. Feeding programs should not be a one-day activity but, rather should be done as a year-round activity,” Bautista pointed out.
Julie’s Bakeshop will serve vitamin-enriched “nutribread” and fortified milk, chocolate or green tea with L theanine, fluoride, antioxidants and calcium to the schoolchildren.
The city mayor called on both government agencies and nongovernment organizations to join hands in fighting malnutrition not only in Quezon City but in the entire country.