A total of 192,509 learners in the Ilocos Region are beneficiaries of the school-based feeding program this school year.
Of the total number, 128,241 are in Pangasinan, 17,992 in Ilocos Norte, 20,628 in Ilocos Sur and 25,648 in La Union, based on data from the Department of Education (DepEd).
The beneficiaries are all enrolled Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners and wasted and severely wasted Grades 2 to 6 learners.
DepEd Undersecretary Fatima Lipp Panontongan, in an interview on Thursday, said proper nutrition is important for a learner.
“This is very important for the attendance of the children. So, if the children are not healthy, they will drop out. And their retention span while they are in the classroom is affected so it also helps that they are healthy and full,” she said.
She said the feeding program, which lasted 120 days before, is now extended to 180 to 200 days with the provision of hot meals or nutritious food to the beneficiaries.
“So, we cascaded our feeding program to the school’s division offices so that the food can be procured faster. For those who have a central kitchen in each school or division’s office, usually, the parents also help in cooking,” she said.
Panontongan said during the two-month vacation, learners under the remediation program are still fed while they are in school, but for those who are not in school, DepEd coordinates or requests the local government for the continuity of the program.
Meanwhile, she said funds have also been allotted for adolescents or pregnant mothers this school year.
“Because what we want is to avoid stunting. While the child is still in the womb, their mother is already healthy. So, we have 7,000 adolescent pregnant mothers in the school (nationwide). We can already reach them. They are part of our feeding program,” she said.
Panontongan said before President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration in 2022, the budget for the school-based feeding program was only PHP3.3 billion.
“But now, it is PHP26 billion. We are able to feed more children. There are 4.6 million children beneficiaries this school year, and before, our maximum was 120 days, but now it is 180 to 200 days of feeding,” she said. (PNA)