OVP, DEPED pilot test nutrition program
THE Office of the Vice President, in partnership with the Department of Education (DEPED), has launched a pilot-test for the program ‘Pansarap’ — a supplemental nutrition intervention for undernourished learners.
In a statement, the OVP said that some 733 undernourished kindergarten to Grade 6 learners in Lower Tamugan Elementary School in Barangay Tamugan here were the first beneficiaries to be supplemented with the nutritional buns developed by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), through the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).
The school has a total student population of 988.
School Principal Brembhot Eyas, who said the number of undernourished children in their school is ‘alarming’, thanked OVP and DepEd for conducting the first run of the program among learners of Lower Tamugan Elementary School.
“For this, we are grateful to the Office of the Vice President for doing such an initiative to give equal importance to the health of our students,” Eyas said.
Lawyer Zuleika T. Lopez, OVP Undersecretary, said the program is an initiative of Vice President Sara Duterte, who is also the Education Secretary.
“Ang proyekto ng Pansarap ay hindi lang proyekto ng Office of the Vice President, proyekto din ito ng Department of Education,” Lopez said.
The nutritious bread comes in 10 flavors, all Halal certified.
The ‘Pansarap’ buns will be distributed to students from Mondays to Fridays for 120 days.
The OVP also plans to bring the program to other parts od the country with high cases of malnutrition among children.
The program will be soon implemented in Upi, Maguindanao, targeting 1,893 schoolchildren who need proper nutrition.
