Quezon City will strictly enforce a ban on softdrinks, junkfood and sweets in all public and private school canteens in the city.
In launching the QC health department’s Nutrition Month celebration search for “healthy school canteen,” QC health officer Verdades Linga urged school personnel to strictly implement the policy of allowing only safe and nutritious food for snacks of students.
Verdades also asked parents to prepare healthy food for their child’s snack including fruits and vegetables. She said that making healthy food always available will prevent children from buying unsafe and junkfood from outside sources that might endanger their health.
“Mas maganda ang buhay kung malusog ang katawan ng mga batang estudyante upang makapag-aral nang mabuti para sa kanilang magandang kinabukasan,” Linga said during a speech during the launching of the search for healthy school canteen at Sto. Cristo Elementary School .
The search for “Best-Child Friendly School Canteen” was initiated by the QC health department as part of its program for ensuring that only properly prepared and healthy and nutritious food will be served in all school canteens in the city’s public and private schools.
QC Mayor Herbert M. Bautista believes that city government has the responsibility to ensure good health of school children, and instituting a program for this purpose is necessary.
The Mayor said that every school canteen and school teachers and personnel should know the food source, nutrient level, health benefits and expiration dates of foods sold in their canteens.
The winner for the 2015 Best-Child Friendly school canteen should have a sanitary permit, health card for canteen personnel, proper hygiene, complete canteen facilities such as handwashing area, and should be well ventilated and well-lighted, and at the same time adhering to food safety standards, ban on softdrinks, junkfood and sweets.
The city’s celebration of Nutrition Month every July is aimed at promoting awareness on proper nutrition while educating the public on the importance of healthy eating habits. (Maureen Quiñones)
