In preparation for the school opening next week, Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Esperanza . Cabral has urged the 369 target municipalities for the Summer Supplemental Feeding Program for Day Care Children to hasten their implementation of the program to improve the nutritional status of school children, a Malacañang press release said yesterday.

"We expect our target municipalities to immediately start the feeding program in their areas because our regional offices have already transferred the funds to the different Day Care Students-Parents Groups (DCSPGs) which will manage the feeding program," Cabral said in the press release.

Cabral said that, as early as March 2007, the DSWD had sub-alloted P256 million to the concerned DSWD regional offices which subsequently transferred the funds to the DCSPGs. The DCSPGs in the target municipalities in Regions I, IV-A to VIII as well as in the Cordillera Administrative Region, CARAGA and National Capital Region have already received their respective fund allocation and have started implementing the supplemental feeding program.

Cabral commended the municipalities of Jovellar in Albay, Milagros in Masbate, Quartero, Dao and Sapian in Capiz, and Sta. Marcela in Kalinga for being the first local government units to implement the feeding program, the press release said.

About 5,000 day care pupils from the 166 day care centers in these areas are being fed and are now benefiting from the glass of milk and hot meal that are provided to them daily through the feeding program, she said.

"We have received reports from our field offices that the feeding program in other areas will start at the opening of classes next week," Cabral disclosed.

The 2006 supplemental budget earmarked P256 million for the feeding program.

In addition, P750 million has been provided in the 2007 General Appropriations Act so that the supplemental feeding program can be continuously implemented during the 2007-2008 school year.*OPS

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