Antique earmarks P1M for milk feeding program
San Jose, Antique -- The Provincial Nutrition Committee is preparing for the promotion/implementation of the P1 million Milk Feeding Program to combat malnutrition in target areas with highest incidence of malnutrition, disclosed Ma. Carmen Tubianosa of the Nutrition Office.
Tubianosa pointed out that the P1 million appropriation will be released on a staggered basis requiring an equity of the recipient local government units. The funds will be used to procure fresh milk intended for malnourished children as shown in the result of the "Operation Timbang". The distribution scheme will follow a five-five pattern of identifying top five barangays in top five municipalities as the recipients, Tubianosa explained.
Antique is still no. 1 in Region VI on malnutrition and no. 2 in the whole country thus a committee created to address this problem is exerting all its effort to eradicate the problem, Tubianosa said.
But if we consider the incidence of malnutrition affecting school children, there is an improvement from number 1 to number 3 nationwide ranking, the nutrition officer clarified.
The interventions have started to payoff, like maximizing health programs and services such as maternal and child health, massive immunization of children and pregnant mothers on tetanus toxoid, supplemental feeding and the support of local government units. The Food For School program of NFA and DepEd and the supplemental feeding in Day Care Centers of DSWD and the support of the provincial government in rice distribution contributed a lot in the reduction of malnutrition among school children. The breastfeeding campaign has somehow been effective in raising the level of awareness for mothers to breastfeed their babies as shown by the active participation of mothers during the simultaneous breastfeeding day last May 2, Tubianosa added.
(PIA)