DAGUPAN CITY, (PNA) — The 120-day supplementary feeding program implemented in 10 public schools here last year with the help of Kabisig ng Lahi, a non-government organization (NGO), and multinationals Unilever and Mead Johnson, posted 100 percent recovery for 300 wasted and severely malnourished pupils.
This was reported by Leah Aquino, city nutrition officer in Dagupan City, who evaluated the nutritional status of 300 pupils covered by the supplementary feeding called “Pasiglahin ang Estudyanteng Pilipino” (PEP) done once every school day for six months or 120 days.
The feeding program was initiated by Mayor Belen Fernandez when she was still vice mayor of Dagupan City with the help of her family-owned CSI Group of Companies as the local partner, together with the Department of Education (DepEd).
The pupils came from the Salisay Elementary School, Caranglaan Elementary School, Bolosan Elementary School, Victorial Zarate Elementary School, Tambac Elementary School, Pogo Lasip Elementary School, P.H. Villamil Elementary School, Mangin-Tebeng Elementary School, Lasip Grande Elementary School and Juan P. Guadiz Elementary School.
The feeding program, implemented through the help of parents of the pupils using the menu approved by Kabisig, not only helped in restoring the covered kids to their normal nutritional status but also snatched them from death.
Targeted by the program were 120 severely wasted pupils and 180 wasted pupils or 300 from all the 10 public schools in Dagupan City, all of whom were given one hot meal and one glass of milk a day during the entire duration of the program, Aquino said.
She reported to Kabisig that all the 120 severely wasted pupils and 180 wasted pupils were rehabilitated to normal nutritional status, resulting in 100 percent malnutrition recovery for all the beneficiaries.
It also helped the pupils in terms of school performance as they had become more attentive in their classes and were going to school regularly, Aquino further said.
Implemented through the help of parents of the pupils using the menu approved by Kabisig, the supplementary feeding not only helped in restoring the covered kids to their normal nutritional status but also snatched them from death, she said.
The second round of the PEP program was launched in Dagupan Tuesday with another 300 wasted and severely wasted pupils from 10 other schools as beneficiaries.
In attendance during the launching were Mayor Fernandez, City Schools Superintendent Gloria Torres, Mila Leonin and Wally Panganiban, both of Med Johnson Nutrition, Philippines; and officials of Unilever and Kabisig.