THE Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao) has increased its budget for the Supplementary Feeding Program to P21 per child, up from the previous P15 allocation.
Kyla Denise T. Pamat, a nutritionist dietician at DSWD-Davao, shared in a radio interview on Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on January 26, 2024, that the enhancement is a result of a budget insertion in 2023.
Pamat explained that while the current rate is P21 per child for 120 feeding days, there is a possibility of reverting to P15 in subsequent cycles.
The 13th cycle targets 122,400 children in Davao Region, with five local government units (LGUs) already initiating the feeding program, while others are in the procurement process.
The program focuses on children aged two to four in child development centers and supervised neighborhood places.
She underscored the importance of supplementation during these crucial developmental stages, benefiting not only physical growth but also cognitive development.
Notably, the program caters to underweight, overnourished, and normal-weight children. The provided food includes hot meals (rice and viand) for 80 days and alternative meals (pancake, nutribun, and fruit salad) for 40 days during the 120 feeding days. Additionally, selected LGUs with a prevalent number of underweight children receive milk feeding for the entire duration.
Pamat clarified that the program's meals are not replacements but rather additions to the children's daily food intake.
The 12th cycle showed an 82.27 percent improvement in the weight of underweight children, reducing their number from 4,567 to 784 after the 120 feeding days.
Encouraging LGUs, communities, and parents to support the program for continuous improvement, Pamat highlighted its alignment with Republic Act 11037, also known as the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act. RGP