Some 175,705 day care children in Central Luzon has started to benefit from the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) of the government.

Ma. Elena Carreon, Senior Dietary Nutritionist and SFP focal person of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Field Office III (DSWD FO III) said that the government has allotted P319,255,985.00 for the program implementation in 3,849 day care centers in 116 municipalities and 14 cities of Central Luzon.

To date, DSWD FO III has already transferred the amount of P50,627,614.00 to 24 municipalities of Region 3.

Just recently, the Field Office transferred a check worth P2,936,128.00 to Mayor Celestino Marquez for the feeding program of 1,606 day care children of Pandi, Bulacan.

The program, which is jointly implemented by the DSWD and the local government units (LGUs), is in support of the pro-poor program of the government. The feeding cycle has a duration of six (6) months or 120 feeding days.

The Supplementary Feeding program is the provision of food in addition to the regular meals, to target children as part of the DSWD’s contribution to the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) program of the government. The food supplementation will be in a form of meals to be served during meal time to children five (5) days a week.

Children will be weighed at the start of the feeding and three months thereafter and after the completion of 120 feeding days to determine improvement and sustenance in their nutritional status, Carreon said. ### (Evelyn T. Manalo)