by A. Doga-ong

BONTOC, Mt. Province (29 November) -- The health status of some 1,915 pre-school children in three pilot municipalities of the province are expected to improve with the launching of the government’s National Supplemental Feeding program here.

Beneficiaries of the supplemental feeding program are day care children in the 84 day care centers in the municipalities of Bauko, Bontoc and Sagada.

Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director for the Cordillera Region Atty. Dulfie Tobias Shalim said the supplemental feeding program is a consolidated response of the government and the various sectors to address not only the problem of malnutrition among young children but also the diminishing quality of education in the country.

Speaking before local officials of the program’s 3 pilot municipalities, day care teachers and members of the Provincial Nutrition Council, Director Shalim said the program aims to provide supplementary feeding using indigenous or locally produced food and to improve the knowledge, attitudes and practices of parents and care givers through intensive nutrition and health education.

“Children at their most crucial stage must be given the right kind of food to enable their brain cells to fully develop,” stressed Shalim, adding that if brain cells are not fully developed, it will affect the performance of the child later in school.

Shalim explained that DSWD appropriated funds for the program which is good only for 60 days as it is still the responsibility of parents to decide the best food to give to their children so they will grow in a manner that they will not be malnourished.

Director Shalim also turned over to Governor Maximo Dalog three checks intended for the supplemental feeding program of the 3 pilot municipalities with a total amount of P1,494,480.00, which he also turned over to Bauko Mayor Simon Lacwasan, Vice Mayor Franklin Odsey of Bontoc and Barangay Captain Nemesio Corce of Brgy. Pide of Sagada.

Expressing his gratitude to the DSWD, Dalog said their the choosing Mt. Province as the recipient of the program among the other Cordillera provinces is a manifestation of the DSWD’s love and concern to the people here, adding that with the program, parents will realize the need to give more attention to their children.

The Provincial Chief Executive also reiterated his earlier call for all sectors to care for and give their all-out support to programs for children in the province.