Councilor works to reduce hunger in primary schools

THE CITY government will identify pilot schools from the 10 identified barangays in the city with poor nutrition status for the school-based intervention to end hunger in primary school levels through the proposed School-based Feeding Program Ordinance of Davao City.

Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte identified the 10 barangays as Gumitan, Baganihan, Dalag Lumot, and Marilog Proper in Marilog District; Sumimao, Tapak, and Colosas in Paquibato District; Meg

cawayan and Lampainao in Calinan District; and Sibulan in Toril District.

Villafuerte, council committee chair on health, said the barangays are geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas that are apt for the feeding program eyed to be implemented in the city as inspired by a program implemented by the provincial government of Compostela Valley.

The councilor reported that, based on the benchmarking activity with Mayor Sara Duterte, Compostela Valley’s “incidence of malnutrition has decreased by at least 75%.”

“Knowing that we have 10 barangays with high malnutrition level, I, together with our colleagues who observed this program with me, as well as the City Social Services and Development Office, highly recommend this program here in our city,” said Villafuerte.

As a pilot implementation of the program, Villafuerte said they will identify one school per district among the identified barangays with high malnutrition rate.

Villafuerte added that she will enjoin the barangay captains to support the said initiative.

Part of the plan is to implement RA 11037 or the Masustansyang Pilipino Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.

Meanwhile, the CSSDO Chief Maria Luisa Bermudo also said CSSDO will study how they can develop the same project in the city or re-design to fit the Davao’s school children situation.

“This is for the benefit of the pupils. Through the project, they will have their lunch that will be prepared by personnel of the city government. The aim is to ensure that the children are eating healthy food,” she said.

Under the program, Bermudo said a kitchen will be set up in each district and the food will be delivered to the schools.