Relevance of Feeding Program

One of the underlying reasosns for establishing school feeding program is to provide targeted families and their
children, an incentive to attend school. It is popular strategy for achieving both educational and social objective among
school children, which includes combating and fighting hunger and malnutrition. Furthermore, the idea of using feeding
program becomes a vehicle for targeting mpore opportunities in the community.

The Department of Education (DepEd) has been conducting school-based feeding programs (SBFP) since 2010 as
part of the government’s initiatives against malnutrition and the promotion of good health and proper nutrition to students.

Through its regional offices, the DepEd identifies students nationwide who are malnourished or those who are
severly wasted.

The DepEd’s SBFP budget is 17php per child for food and 1 php per child for operational expenses, multiplied by
120 feeding days,adding up to 2, 160 per child.

Pupils from Matusalem Elementary School partake of ginisang ampalaya with egg as they harvest their fresh
bitter gourd from their own garden as Gulayan sa Paaralan is in partnership with the SBFP.

Dexter Rebocca, a parent and a farmer who is active in supporting the school’s program planted bitter gourd for
the first time as a trial with only a 30 plant population alongside the other regular crops, with help and monitoring by the
school principal Madam Zenaida B. Sotelo. Rebocca grew the variety successfully,and the fruits first fruits he harvested
totaled 12 kilograms.

These freshly harvested vegetables are brought to school based feeding program as an additional menu for the
children to eat.

Rebocca was initially skeptical: bitter gourd (also known as ampalaya) for children? “ I hope it would be a taste
bud buddy” he said. It’s well known that the bitterness the crop is known for is unappealing to both adults and children
born in an era where they are expected to junk and fast food. But its health properties, particularly for diabetes, add to its
appeal. Moreover, it has also been suggested through studies that bitter melon is benefecial in the treatment of chronic
blood pressure and helps slow down viruses like HIV.

The effectiveness of school feeding programs have been noted by many experts, and can “boost enrollment,
attendance, and academic perfromance”. The government is currently working with the private sector and individuals to
promote good health and proper nutrition to the youth and their parents.

The core of implementing feeding program among school is not just for the benefit of a particular
institution or area of a community, it is for the holistic productivity of the nation. While it is important to note
the benefits that can be derived from it, its success depends upon the support of the parties involved.

By: MARJORIE R. LUNA –MATUSALEM ELEM.SCHOOL

Citations: Capacio Amy G. , The Impact of School Feeding Programs