March 29, 2024

The Department of Social Welfare and Development-Cordillera through its supplementary feeding program is set to release P68,196,600 worth of assistance to 77 local government units which is expected to benefit around 37,887 children currently enrolled in various child development centers in the region.
As of Sept 14, the agency has already released funds to Boliney and San Juan in Abra. For the coming weeks, more municipalities are expected to receive the funds and start conducting the house to house distribution of hot meals and other goods, said DSWD OIC-Regional Director Leo L. Quintilla.
Hot meals are food usually prepared by volunteer parents following the menu prepared by the local social welfare and development offices and approved by experts on nutrition. Aside from hot meals, nutrient-dense food such as NutriPaks, Nutritbun and milk, alternative healthy and heavy snack will also be served.
During the 9th cycle (2019-2020), the supplementary feeding program was able to serve 41,317 children.
From June 2019 to March 2020, children have shown a positive response on the feeding program. After 120 feeding days, 2,415 children have improved weight of which 449 severely underweight and 1,966 underweight children were rehabilitated, Supplementary Feeding Program focal person Eleonor Bugallin-Ayan said.
However, she said that under-nutrition is a multi-factorial public health concern and supplementary feeding is just one way of decreasing it. “Thus various things should also be considered to increase one’s nutritional status,” Ayan added.
“It is during this time, when parents are struggling finding enough money to buy their needs that we have to push further to deliver our programs and services for the children. It may just be an additional meal for a day, but this may help our little ones develop a healthier body and sounder mind. – DSWD release