Dad wants free meals for pupils

CEBU, Philippines - In its aim to address the malnutrition problem in public schools, the Cebu City government eyes on providing “free nutritious meals” to students from preschool to grade school.

The feeding program is estimated to cost from P15 to P20 million a year.

Once the proposed ordinance of Councilor Gerardo Carillo is approved, the program on free balanced-meal a day will be launched in the next school year, catering to students in public schools.

Carillo, who chairs the City Council committee on social services, stressed that the proposed measure would be very vital in addressing malnutrition in schools. The city has 68 public elementary schools.

“Malnutrition among students is very prevalent. Atong himuon nga librehon ang mga students sa usa ka nutritious meal,” he said.

Carillo said further that the program can motivate the students to somehow pursue their studies.

“The city will be the one to provide para ma-encourage ang kabataan moskwela kay atong nakita nga daghang studyante nga moadto sa skwelahan nga gutom mao di sila kahuna-huna og tarong,” the councilor said.

The members of the City Nutrition Council will prepare the meals.

According to Carillo, the Department of Social Welfare and Services said the program needs P10 to P15 million to commence based on the number of enrollees.

The amount would be sourced out from the P20 million surplus amount under the City’s Accelerated Social Amelioration Program, from the Poverty Alleviation Fund worth P15 million, and from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, among others.

City Administrator Dr. Lucelle Mercado said they will strengthen the Social Amelioration Tax collection to help fund the program.

“We have to increase our collection, so that our students will get a balanced-full meal a day para they also get encouraged going to school,” Mercado said.

To broaden the scope of the program, the city will also tap private sectors to adopt public schools through feeding initiatives, she added.

Moreover, the city government will also encourage the parents of the beneficiaries of the feeding program to be involved in “urban gardening”.

“I-encourage ang parents to have a backyard gardening, supplement with another program and that is urban gardening. Then paliton sa City ang ilang mga vegetables na ma-produce,” Carillo said. —  /NSA (FREEMAN)