A total of 3,592 day care children in the Cordillera benefited from the milk feeding efforts of the Department of Social Welfare and Development through its Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP).
The SFP is the agency’s contribution in improving the nutritional status of Child Development Center-identified children beneficiaries and at the same time patronizing products from local dairy farmers.
“The provision of milk through the SFP is one way of helping our undernourished children cope with their health needs. This gives them additional nutritional benefits that can aid in their growth and development,” DSWD Regional Director Arnel B. Garcia said.
SFP focal person Eleonor Bugallin-Ayan said it is important to incorporate milk in supplementary feeding as it is a rich source of protein and calcium, which is essential in supporting the linear growth and development of children.
The milk feeding commenced in Apayao with the Philippine Carabao Center-assisted cooperative as supplier.
The Amancio-Nicholas Farm delivered 61,200 packs of fortified sterilized milk worth P1,162,800 to benefit 510 identified undernourished children.
The National Dairy Authority-assisted Mountain High Dairy Farm in Dontogan, Baguio City supplies for Baguio City and Benguet.
Two hundred children from Benguet, 926 from Baguio City, 630 from Ifugao, 600 in Kalinga, 430 from Mountain Province, and 806 children from Abra are also part of the milk feeding which will last for 120 days.
The SFP aims to improve and maintain the nutritional status of children enrolled in child development centers or in supervised neighborhood by providing augmentation support for feeding and intensifying nutrition and health education for 120 days.
As of December 2021, there are 45,045 day care children under the program, of which 9,155 are from Abra, 3,385 from Apayao, 4,960 from Baguio City, 8,875 from Benguet, 6,579 from Ifugao, 7,260 in Kalinga, and 4,840 from Mountain Province. – Nerizza Faye G. Villanueva-Trinidad
April 24, 2024
