DEPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) “Oplan Kalusugan” program is seen to curve five concerns among students in the Cordillera region.
Agencies and stakeholders committed to undertake five activities that will emphasize the relevance of “Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd” and help generate awareness about the program.
A pledge of commitment was undertaken On July 23 in La Trinidad, Benguet, spearheaded by DepEd regional director May Eclar and Chief School Health Division Bureau of Learner Support Services Maria Corazon Dumlao.
Major programs of the agency revolve on the school-based feeding program, drug education campaign, adolescent reproductive health education, water, hygiene and sanitation and medical, dental and nursing services.
The Oplan seeks to provide all learners and DepEd personnel with a sustainable school health program.
Cordillera is the second region where the program is launched.
Eclar said every school division is entitled to have in-charge medical officers, dental officers and nurses to serve the students and teachers.
In other divisions in the region, program divisions will conduct the orientations which includes the strengthening of the child protection policy being implemented in the division and school and monitoring system for the agency to determine cases regarding the welfare of children.
Guidelines will be based on the situation from all the programs depending on the situation analysis on every division.
The DepEd project of the Secretary's School Based Feeding Program has a target feeding programs in schools for 120 days allotting P4 billion targeting P18 per meal for each child.
Dr. Mercelita Calpito of the Provincial Health Office said in order to inculcate the benefits of healthy habits, teachers play crucial to employ interventions among students.
“Our students capacity to adopt to sustain change, make them effective agents of change and also their communities. Department of Health-CAR supports Oplan Kalusugan, holistic approach in combatting the five issues the youth impede in realizing their full potentials,” Calpito said.
Geraloy Palao-ay, DepEd-CAR information officer, added the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” in schools is part of the school based feeding program in the region.