Lapu grade school studes take part in 1st "Palamantasan"

CEBU, Philippines – Students of the Lapu-Lapu Central Elementary School participated in a string of activities in the first “Palamantasan,” a project of the Department of Education and Kraft Cheez Whiz that aims to promote nutrition education to young students nationwide.

Last Saturday, 10 students competed in the on-the-spot writing contest, three groups with 15-20 members competed in speech choir with a topic that was focused on nutrition while three groups competed in the so-called Jarchitechture or art-making with the use of jars, bottle caps, and foil packs of Cheez Whiz.

Meanwhile, three pairs of mothers and daughters competed in sandwich making that allowed them to highlight their own recipes while teams with five to 10 members joined in the cheering competition with the exception of gymnastics and acrobats.

Winners of the different categories will be competing in the regional level on August 15. Winners in the regional level, in turn, will compete in the national level on September 4.

The same round of competitions was also held simultaneously in Buhangin Elementary School in Davao City.

Lapu-Lapu Central Elementary School and Buhangin Elementary School are just one of the 250 grade schools nationwide that signed up for the competitions, but Alex Tacdera, Category Manager for Kraft Foods Philippines, said they have not closed their doors to other schools.

“In fighting malnutrition, we vie for sustainability and deep impact on school children,” Tacdera said.

Palamantasan was hatched to further raise public consciousness with the fact that approximately eight million Filipino children are malnourished, if not underweight or below the standard height.

Expression, another private company, also supported the event last Saturday. (THE FREEMAN)