Rep. Herminio Teves (Oriental Negros, 3rd District) lambasted the Senate for junking his resolution extending free noon-meals to schoolchildren in the public elementary schools all over the country.

Teves said most senators did not experience life in a public school and have not gone to government schools. "Most of them are not studying their lessons," he said.

He added that the senators are not aware that 93 percent of school children go to public elementary schools and only 7 percent to private institutions.

The proposed P4.2-billion funding for the free noon-meal program was realigned for the construction of more school buildings and to hire additional teachers.

But Teves said these senators are not reading government statistics. He pointed out that the country's teacher to pupils population has a ratio of one is to 32. There are more than 50 pupils in one classroom, he said.

Teves challenged the senators to investigate why government is paying a number of teachers, and yet classrooms are crowded with students.

He further said most senators are not aware of the survival rate of pupils in public schools.

The 63 percent of the school children could not finish Grade 6 because of poverty and they normally stop schooling while in Grade 3 to help their parents.

Teves also criticized House Speaker Jose de Venecia for not nominating him as member of the bicameral committee when he is the chairman of the ways and means committee. He stressed that he would have defended his bill with documents and statistics.

Despite the junking of his free noon-meal program proposal, Teves said he intends to continue it in his district with funds coming from his priority development assistance program.

Teves encouraged the Senate to again study the program based upon the program plan implementation, surveys and statistics of pupils who gained a positive effect after the program was implemented in the third district in Oriental Negros.

The Free Noon Meal program was formally launched simultaneously in July this year in the third district municipalities of the province. Gov. George Arnaiz also challenged the Senate to re-study the proposal of Teves.

He said it is a very good venture that the Senate should reconsider the proposal. After several months of its implementation, it showed an increase and improvement in enrollment, attendance, and nutritional status of the pupils, the governor pointed out.

The school teachers also reported that pupils are now more creative and receptive to the lessons.

Arnaiz said he believes that with the implementation of the program, children, especially in the hinterland areas, will be more encouraged to attend classes everyday.

He is urging the Senate for a reconsideration and review of the proposal next week when sessions resume.*JG/MA

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