Poe bats for additional P2-B fund for school-based feeding program

Sen. Grace Poe INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

Sen. Grace Poe on Saturday pushed for an additional P2-billion fund for the implementation of next year’s school-based feeding program for malnourished students.

Poe said the additional funding would be important to address the nutritional needs of the 2.5 million “wasted and severely wasted” students, or those who are classified as very thin for their height, as well as those with chronic malnutrition.

“Kailangan natin ng sapat at wastong pasilidad para makapaghanda ng masustansyang pagkain para sa milyong mga bata sa ilalim ng programa,” Poe said.

(We need enough and proper facilities to prepare nutritious food for the millions of children under our program.)

Poe, who co-sponsored a measure seeking to institutionalize the feeding program, said the additional funding would be used for procurement of equipment necessary to establish new and upgrade the existing school kitchens and likewise equip them with adequate storage facilities.

She added there is a huge backlog in food preparation and storage equipment in public schools “which in turn hamper the latter’s mission to provide education and nutrition.”

The DepEd allocated P5.3 billion in the proposed 2018 General Appropriations Act for the feeding program.

In this year’s national budget, the DepEd had allotted P3.9 billion to feed 1.8 million students.

The feeding program targets wasted and severely wasted Kinder to Grade 6 pupils nationwide for a total of 120 feeding days.

Poe said various studies done by local groups and international monitors suggested hunger, malnutrition and stunting—or children who are short of their age—are still prevalent in the Philippines.

“Ang programang ito ay pantawid-gutom para sa mga mag-aaral na hindi nakakakain nang sapat sa kanilang tahanan. Sa pamamagitan ng feeding program, lalagyan natin ng laman hindi lang ang kanilang isipan, kundi pati ang sikmurang kumakalam pagpasok sa paaralan,” Poe said.

(This program will tide these students over hunger, those who receive insufficient nutrients in their homes. Through the feeding program, we will sustain not only their minds but their hunger stomachs as well.)

“Mamuhunan tayo sa kinabukasan ng ating kabataan sa pagsuporta sa kanilang nutrisyon,” she added.

(We will invest in the future of our children by supporting their nutrition.) /jpv

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