To provide children the essential nutrition for their growth and well-being, the Department of Agriculture-Philippine Carabao Center (DA-PCC) has distributed sterilized milk to 4,251 undernourished pupils across 174 public schools in Abra.
“We are pleased to supply the milk sets for Abra. It’s rewarding to know that our efforts directly contribute to the health and development of the children here,” Melinda Galacgac, DA-PCC at Mariano Marcos State University’s (DA-PCC at MMSU) science research analyst, said.
Provincial School-based Feeding Program (SBFP) focal person Estrelita Seares cited that this feeding program ensures that every child will receive the necessary nourishment to support their academic performance and overall health.
The sterilized milk, supplied and distributed by the Licaong Agriculture Cooperative (LAC) in Nueva Ecija and the Nueva Segovia Consortium of Cooperatives in Ilocos Norte, began distribution on August 16, 2024. The program will run for 38 days, delivering a total of 161,538 milk sets to the pupils.
The DepEd-funded SBFP was first introduced in 2019 in support of Republic Act No. 11037. Since then, it has been catering undernourished children from Kindergarten to Grade 6 enrolled in public elementary schools. The agency recorded a total of 757,711 beneficiaries nationwide in 2023.
