CALAPE, Bohol, Philippines - To ensure continuation of its feeding program, the Kabisig ng Kalahi, a non-government organization (NGO) partner of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has initiated a supplemental feeding and milk feeding program, mobilizing partnerships with private sector companies, Unilever Philippines and Mead Johnson Nutritionals to fund the said endeavor. The partnership program, which started in 2008, has already reached out to more than 780 identified beneficiaries in the towns of Dagohoy, Buenavista and Calape in Bohol. Aside from those three towns in Bohol, the feeding program has also benefited poor areas in Cebu City and the municipality of Compostela in Cebu as well as the town of Amlan in Negros Oriental. The feeding program was designed to feed malnourished school children ages 3 to 6 years-old who are identified based on the local Operation Timbang (OPT) data. DSWD 7 information officer, Jaybee Binghay said that for every 30 beneficiaries, a total fund of P52, 000 will be given to the parents' organization for the purchase of ingredients and consumption of fuel among other expenses. On top of this, the program offers 117 kilos of milk.
Concerned parents were organized into committees to handle the program overseen by village volunteers composed mostly of day care workers, barangay nutrition scholars, and barangay health workers. She added that the supplemental feeding program will run for 156 days, from Monday to Friday, providing one hot meal with milk served during lunch time. The said meal is expected to provide a third of the recommended energy and nutrient intake needed by children. Meanwhile, in support of said feeding program, the province of Cebu also simultaneously launched its Early Childhood and Care Development (ECCD) program which will likewise provide milk and hot meals to cover remaining areas in the town of Compostela not included in the earlier said program.
