Quezon City’s continuing effort to fight malnutrition and child hunger received a much-needed boost when Mayor Herbert Bautista led today city officials in launching a feeding program designed to benefit schoolchildren from QC’s poor school communities.
Dubbed “Healthy and Bibo Kids Feeding Program, the scheme addresses the direct correlation between substandard mental performance and poor physical health, which has long been established by local and international authorities.
In his speech, Mayor Bautista reiterated the need for government, non-government organizations and other stakeholders to harmonize efforts to address the problem of malnutrition not only in the city, but in the country as a whole.
“Feeding programs should not be a one-day activity but, rather should be done as a year-round activity,” the Mayor said. “Hindi makasasapat ang lugaw lang,” the Mayor stressed.
Beneficiaries of the city’s feeding program are 1,380 Grades 1 to 3 schoolchildren from five QC schools which register the highest incidence of malnutrition. These schools are San Jose Elementary School (District I); Culiat Elementary School (District II-A); Payatas B Elementary School (District II-B); Balara Elementary School (District III) and San Vicente Elementary School (District IV).
After the program launching, the city government will continue to provide healthy snack products to the schoolchildren for 120 feeding days to help them meet their daily nutritional requirements and to contribute to their physical and emotional development.
Vitamin-enriched HB nutribreads, especially made by program partner, Julie’s Bakeshop, and fortified milk or choco or green tea juice with L theanine, fluoride, antioxidants and calcium, shall be served daily to the schoolchildren.
Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, who joined Mayor Bautista in launching the program, has continued to push for the promotion of breastfeeding and urban farming as part of the effort to fight malnutrition.
“Good nutrition is free,” Belmonte said.
The launching of the feeding program highlighted the city’s observance of Nutrition Month, which is held every July in accordance with Presidential Decree 491 known as the Nutrition Act of the Philippines. In QC, the program has the theme: “Hamon sa Bayan: Isulong ang Breastfeeding – Tama, Sapat at Ekslusibo.”
Before the feeding program, there was a nutri-parade participated by 10 representatives from each schools district; nutri-contests, malunggay cooking contest, healthy and bibo kid contest, jingle and rap singing contest, and sabayang bigkas contest.
Also conducted was a nutri-fair at the QC Hall Plaza, held in partnership with the local school board and program sponsors like Julie’s Bakeshop and Mama Sita. Divine/ Precy/ Maureen Quiñones, PAISO
