Monday, May 21, 2007 P10M set aside to curb malnutrition in C. Mindanao
KORONADAL CITY -- A P10 million fund to curb malnutrition among public school children in parts of Central Mindanao is now available to local government units, regional social welfare and development officials here confirmed on Friday.
Bai Zorahayda Taha, regional social welfare and development director, said they would release P3.8 million for Sarangani, P2.8 for North Cotabato, P2.5 for Sultan Kudarat and P1.8 million for South Cotabato.
Merlyn Guerra, regional nutrition officer, the supplemental feeding program scheme will provide milk and hot meal for children in day care centers five days a week for 42 days.
Parents would be involved in the feeding program based on the prepared cycle menu for hot meals using locally available indigenous food ingredients, Guerra added.
She stressed that children shall undergo weighing at the start of the feeding program and would be regularly monitored to determine the progress in the nutritional status of beneficiaries.
Guerra said that children should also be taught proper hygiene such as washing the hands before and after eating, table manners and prayer before and after meals, and simple concepts on health care and nutrition and the importance of nutrition for their health and development.
The identified pilot areas for the feeding program are the towns of Aleosan and Libungan in North Cotabato; Tantangan, Tampakan and Sto. Niño in South Cotabato; President Quirino and Sen. Ninoy Aquino in Sultan Kudarat; and Kiamba, Maitum and Maasim in Saranggani. (BSS)
