Milk feeding programs resume in some areas

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — The Department of Education (DepEd) has partially lifted the suspension of milk feeding programs nationwide upon the request of some local governments.

"Since they distribute fresh milk coming from dairy cooperatives, we decided to exempt their products from the suspension," said Dr. Thelma Santos, head of DepEd’s School Health and Nutrition Center.

This developed as a six-man team of the Alaska Milk Corp. (AMC) discovered that buns stuffed with meat and other fillings were responsible for the poisoning of grade schoolers in Minalin town last March 11.

Their finding contradicted suspicions that chocolate-flavored milk supplied by AMC caused the poisoning.

Some parents of the affected children have recommended that teachers who sold the buns be investigated.

AMC corporate affairs director Santiago Polido insisted that boxes of milk they delivered to DepEd for Pampanga pupils were in good condition and would expire in October yet. — Sheila Crisostomo and Ric Sapnu