33,737 pre-schoolers to benefit from FSS program
Some 33,737 pre-schoolers in the province of Iloilo will benefit from the Food-for-School (FFS) program which was launched in a simple ceremony held at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol yesterday.
The Food-for- School program is implemented under the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo in her continuous aim to mitigate hunger among poor families.
Governor Niel Tupas who led the launching lauded this effort of the national government that seeks to address malnutrition problem among pre-schoolers and also to improve their attendance and performance in day-care centers.
The Food-for-School program is spearheaded by the Department of Social Welfare Development, National Food Authority, National Nutrition Council and the local government unit as implementing agency.
Iloilo Provincial Social Welfare Officer Neneth Pador said some P29,376,492.75 has been allocated for this program. Under the program, each pre-schooler from the 1,260 day care centers in the province will receive one kilo of rice for 43 days.
The 1,260 day care centers involved in the program are from the 33 municipalities of the province and Passi City.
Pador identified the town beneficiaries that included the municipalities of Badiangan, Batad, Bingawan, Mina, New Lucena, San Miguel, San Rafael, Tubungan, Carles, Concepcion, San Dionision, Lemery, Balasan, San Enrique and Ajuy.
Other town beneficiaries are Ajuy, Barotac Viejo, Anilao, Lambunao, Calinog, Janiuay, Duenas, Igbaras, Sara, Maasin, Leon, Estancia, Alimodian, Barotac Nuevo, Dumangas, Miag-ao and Dingle.
During the launching, NFA-Iloilo Manager Hedy Jardeleza said they will start delivering the rice directly to day-care beneficiaries as soon as the Memorandum of Agreement between the NFA and DSWD for the program has been signed. (PIA)