APRIL 22, 2014

NR # 3444B

Free breakfast program for public school children from preschool to elementary
An institutionalized free breakfast program for day care center, preschool and elementary school children in all public schools in the country is now taking shape. A technical working group (TWG) formed by the ouse !ommittee on "asic #ducation is now crafting a proposed law based on " $%& entitled 'An Act pro(iding for a free breakfast program for public school children in day care centers, preschools and elementary schools in the country and appropriating funds therefor,) authored by *ep. *aul +. ,el -ar (. st ,istrict, !ebu !ity). '/nlike in the past where it was implemented only for a limited duration and in (selected) areas for public schools, now it will co(er all public schools,) ,el -ar clarified. /nder " $%&, it shall be implemented in all public schools throughout the country since almost all school children enrolled come from poor families and suffer undernourishment and malnutrition affecting their capacity to attain and maintain a(erage academic performance, the author pointed out. 'These children coming to school with practically no breakfast from home cannot be e0pected to absorb their lessons in school while suffering hunger pangs,) the !ebu lawmaker stressed. e noted that the ,epartment of #ducation (,ep#d) and the ,epartment of 1ocial Welfare and ,e(elopment (,1W,) implemented an immediate inter(ention to address hunger among families through their children enrolled in ,ep#d super(ised public day care centers, preschools and elementary schools in the form of food subsidy for young learners who belong to poor families. The said program in(ol(ed a daily ration of one (.) kilo of rice gi(en to the child2s family for a specific period of time as long as the child goes to school or to the day care center e(ery day. 3n the challenges of malnutrition, the 4hilippine go(ernment is committed to the global call to eradicate malnutrition as stated in the World ,eclaration on 5utrition and Global 4lan of Action for 5utrition adopted during the 6nternational !onference on 5utrition (6!5) in *ome, 6taly in ,ecember .778. 'The said international accord was made operational by the 4hilippine 4lan of Action for 5utrition (44A5) within the conte0t of current de(elopment efforts enunciated in the -edium9Term 4hilippine ,e(elopment 4lan,) ,el -ar added. ,el -ar e0plained that the 44A5 ser(es as the springboard of the country2s plan to eradicate or curb the pre(alence of malnutrition in the country, integrating the efforts of the national go(ernment, local go(ernment units (:G/s), nongo(ernmental organizational (5G3s) including community9based 5G3s, the business sector, and the international community in assisting target beneficiaries. 44A5 aims to achie(e good nutrition for all ;ilipinos and contribute to the achie(ement of the -illennium ,e(elopment Goals (-,Gs) on eradicating e0treme po(erty and hunger, further noted. 'There is therefore an urgent need to fine9tune these programs of the ,ep#d and enhance the same by pro(iding the said free breakfast program in all public schools in the country,) the author concluded. ($<) dpt