DSWD’s feeding program for preschoolers in full swing

The supplementary feeding program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is expected to boost the health and nutritional status of 128,082 pre-schoolers in Central Visayas.

DSWD Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre said they already spent P38,424,600 for the purchase of rice from the National Food Authority to be distributed to some 4,072 day care centers all over the region.

Macapobre said a total of P167,376,550 was also disbursed to 132 LGUs for the purchase of vegetables, meat and poultry products to complete the meal.  The budget also includes the purchase of eating and cooking utensils.

In partnership with the local government units (LGUs) and day care centers, the program provides food supplementation of hot meals, served either during breakfast or before the afternoon session to children in day care centers, five days a week for four months or 120 days.

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

The children will be weighed and measured in height at the start of the feeding, and a monthly weight and height measurement will be conducted thereafter to determine improvements in their nutritional status.

DSWD-7 nutritionist dietitian Melinda Canares disclosed that the program will not only boost the health of the children but also encourage the parents to be responsible in preparing inexpensive nutritional meals from resources that are available in their community.