DSWD starts supplemental feeding program

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has partnered with various non-government organizations for the implementation of a supplemental feeding program that will benefit some 1.8 million children.

Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman recently signed a memorandum of agreement with heads of the Ateneo Center for Educational Development, Augustinian Sisters of Our Lady of Consolation, Bahay at Yaman ni San Martin de Porres, Consuelo “Chito” Madrigal Foundation, Defending Family Values Foundation, Foundation of Our Lady of Peace Mission, Jollibee Foundation, Kabisig ng Kalahi, Muntinlupa Development Foundation, Operation Blessing Foundation Philippines, Philippine Business for Social Progress, and Philippine Relief and Development Services. 

Soliman said some 1.8 million children from the 49,000 day care centers run by local government units nationwide will benefit from the program along with three- to 12 year-old children-beneficiaries of NGO-partners.

“For two months, these children will be provided hot meals like porridge. We bought close to six million bags of rice from the National Food Authority, (NFA) including the rice surplus certified by NFA that these are fit for human consumption,” Soliman said. 

Aside from the supplemental feeding component, Soliman said the program also included education classes for parents with topics on spiritual and values formation, health and nutrition, natural family planning methods, parent effectiveness, home care sessions, and livelihood or skills training.

“These classes will provide parents with basic knowledge and skills that will improve their parenting capabilities and expand their opportunities,” Soliman said.

Soliman said the parents will manage the feeding program based on a prepared meal cycle using available indigenous food materials. The children will be weighed at the start of the feeding and a monthly weighing thereafter will be done to determine improvement in their nutritional status.