The feeding program pushed by former solon Herminio Teves has been approved recently in Congress, his grandson, Rep. Henry Pryde Teves (Neg. Or, 3rd district) said yesterday.

The younger Teves said the national feeding program got a P2.6 billion budget to be allocated to 20 pilot provinces, including Negros Oriental, to be implemented by the Department of Education.

It was his grandfather who introduced the free noon meal feeding program for elementary pupils in the third district.

The congressman said, however, he will not favor a centralized bidding for the national feeding program as this might result in corruption.

He suggested that the budget be turned over to the provincial government for implementation, and the DepEd to focus only on the education aspect.

Indigenous farm products should be used for the feeding program, he said, adding that in this way local farmers can also benefit from the program while the children can eat fresh vegetables.

Teves said if the program will be fully implemented, his P28,000 budget from the congressional fund will be used for another purpose.

Among these projects is the launching of another feeding program for day care children to help motivate them to go to school, he said.*MA

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