Palace: School-based feeding programs continue to eradicate malnutrition among students

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MANILA — The government continues to implement school-based feeding programs to eradicate malnutrition among students, Malacanang assured on Sunday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. in an interview on state-run dzRB radio said that the government has appropriated over P1 billion for the program.

He said that furthermore, the Department of Education (DepEd) has also provided school canteens with guidelines to observe the “serve-only-nutritious food” policy.

Aside from serving nutrient-rich foods like fruits, vegetables and fortified products, the government will also make sure that food and drinks are sold at a reasonable price and that canteens are kept clean, he added.

The PCOO chief also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is also conducting supplementary feeding programs with the same goal.

Local government units are meanwhile partnering with private companies to have their own programs to address the country’s malnutrition problem.

Coloma said that concerned agencies such as the Department of Health’s National Nutrition Council, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, among other agencies, are also addressing the issue.

Aside from addressing malnutrition, Coloma said that the government also conducts programs to fight obesity among children.