DSWD allots P126.1M for Supplemental Feeding Program in E. Visayas

By Neil D. Lopido

Saturday 7th of July 2012

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, July 7 (PIA) -- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Eastern Visayas allocated P126,143,200 for its supplemental feeding program (SPF) in the region for Calendar Year 2011.

This was revealed by Ms. Pauline Nadera, SPF focal person in a media orientation Thursday held at the Leyte Park Hotel this city.

Nadera said that the amount is intended for the feeding of some 106,209 beneficiaries of the program in 3,918 day care centers throughout the region which translates to food supplemental allocation of P12.70 per child for 120 days hot meal feeding.

The implementation of the program for CY 2011 is being carried out this year to complete the 120 feeding days as the program started late last year.

Supplemental Feeding Program is the provision of food in addition to the regular meals to currently enrolled day care children regionwide as part of the DSWD’s contribution to the Early Childhood Care and Development Program of the government.

Components of the program include social preparation/team building, measuring and deworming, feeding, micro-nutrients supplement, parent effectiveness and home care sessions.

Parents play a great role also in the implementation of the program as they are the ones managing the feeding program in the form of “hot meals” based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous and locally processed food materials.

Recipients of the program are children aged 3-4 years old and those five years old not catered by the Department of Education pre-school but enrolled in the day care center.

With the new set up of project implementation, the budget allocated for the said program is through the DSWD regional office while the Local Government Units implementing the project are required to submit liquidation reports for the disbursement of said funds.

Of the total 133 municipalities in the region covered by the program, 37 municipalities came from the province of Leyte including Ormoc City while Tacloban City is covered for the CY 2012 implementation.

Western Samar and Northern Samar both covered 24 municipalities including Catbalogan City; 22 municipalities in Eastern Samar including Borongan City; 18 in Southern Leyte including Maasin City and 7 in Biliran.

SPF aims to provide augmentation support for feeding program for children in LG-managed day care centers using indigenous foods and/or locally processed foods equivalent to 1/3 of Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intakes (RENIs); to improve knowledge, attitude and practices of children enrolled in day care centers , parents and caregivers through intensified nutrition and health education; to improve all the nutritional status of all the target children; and to refer to appropriate health unit any health and nutrition related problems of children. (PIA-8)