THE DEPARTMENT of Education’s School-Based Feeding Program not only sustained the nutritional needs of young learners, it also kept local food processors and dairy producers financially afloat during the pandemic.

For its feeding program, the department tied up with local food producers and suppliers, most of them cooperatives.

Lope Santos III, director of DEPED’s Bureau of Learner Support Service, said that schools and local food producers coordinate to provide food to learners.

“’Yong mga supplier natin ng nutritious food products ay talagang certified and accredited ng DOST-FNRI, at ‘yong mga supplier naman ng gatas ay mga kooperatiba ng magsasaka at ka-partner ng National Dairy Authority at Philippine Carabao Center,” Santos said during a visit to the Schools Division of Rizal and Antipolo City.

Three manufacturers supplied milk while schools selected the suppliers of their food commodities for the Schools Division Office of Rizal. The SDO Antipolo City, meanwhile, has three milk and five nutritious local food product suppliers.

Santos spearheaded the repacking and distribution of nutritious food and milk to the learners’ parents during their three-day visit in Rizal Province.

“Nakita natin ‘yong actual na supply chain ng School-Based Feeding Program. Nakita natin ‘yong delivery no’ng both milk and nutritious food products. Na-meet natin ‘yong kanilang mga supplier. Sinundan natin ito sa actual distribution sa mga eskwelahan na pini-pick up no’ng mga parents ‘yong food packs at saka ‘yong milk packs. So, maganda ‘yong process kahit na may pandemic. Nakita natin na tumatakbo ‘yong ating programa,” he added.

The BLSS said that 3,517,807 learners have benefited from the feeding program. It surpassed the benchmark target of 1.7 million beneficiaries.

“We want to give our thanks to our partners for the implementation of the school-based feeding program despite the pandemic because we know that learners still need the food and milk packs. Nurturing learners is one of our priorities to help them study efficiently,” Education Secretary Leonor Briones said.

The Central Office team monitored the implementation of the program at the Patricio Jarin Memorial Elementary School, Taytay Elementary School, Tomas Claudio Memorial Elementary School, San Guillermo Elementary School, and Lagundi Elementary School in SDO Rizal and Bagong Nayon IV Elementary School, Mayamot Elementary School, and Juan Sumulong Elementary School in Antipolo City.

Rizal Schools Division Superintendent Dr. Cherrylou Repia said feeding program was a big help to poor children and local manufacturers who lost their jobs during the pandemic.

“Kaya we know for a fact that the feeding program is a ‘come on’ for students to attend classes. Alam natin ‘yan na nag-improve talaga ang attendance ng mga bata dahil sa mayroon silang nakakain [from] schools,” Repia said.