Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2,052 children benefit from feeding program
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO -- A total of six public elementary schools with high prevalence rate of underweight school children benefited from the Provincial Government's Supplemental Feeding Program.
Rose Butiu, provincial nutritionist and dietician, together with Pampanga Governor Eddie Panlilio, led the distribution of goods to school principals and barangay captains at the Malward lawn area, Capitol Compound, this city.
A total of 2,052 below normal weight school children will receive food supplement within 60 days that comprise morning snack and lunch served five days a week.
The supplement will nourish more than half of the total energy requirement of each beneficiary.
The two-fold objective of this program is to improve the nutritional status and growth rate of the below normal weight school children, and to disseminate information to mothers of beneficiaries through various topics in mothers' classes like proper hygiene and sanitation, basic food groups and the nutritional guidelines, advocacy on breast feeding, dental care, responsible parenthood, and waste management.
The food supplement is composed of non-perishable goods (rice, monggo beans, powdered and canned milk, and condiments, among others) provided in monthly basis, and the perishable goods (pork, chicken, vegetables, and fruits) given on a daily or twice a week basis.
The below normal weight school children involved in the program came from San Vicente Elementary School, Apalit, San Juan Baño Elementary School, Sapa Elementary School in Sto. Tomas town, Magalang Central Elementary School, Sta. Rita Elementary School, Minalin, and Mauaque Resettlement, North Mabalacat.
Physical examination and monthly re-weighing of the beneficiaries will be conducted to monitor the impact of the program. (RCG)
