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Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiaries in Bacong, Negros Oriental implements the ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’.

This school-based feeding program is implemented by the Department of Education (DepEd), through the School Health Division-Bureau of Learner Support Services (SHD-BLSS) to address undernutrition and short-term hunger among public school children.

Municipal Convergence Committee together with the judges inspects the school garden in Isugan Elementary School.

Under the program, all schools are asked to establish and maintain the ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ as a source of ingredients for the feeding program.

Also, through this project, the school has encouraged the Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiaries to have their own home garden for the continuous nutritional improvement at home.

“This is a good convergence program wherein National Government Agencies (NGAs) like DSWD and DepEd, the Local Government Unit (LGU), partner Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) and most importantly the Pantawid Pamilya partner-beneficiaries worked together for the common good,” said DSWD-7 Regional Director Ma. Evelyn Macapobre.

“As Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program ensures our children will continue to go to school, we must not also forget the health of our children and this program will ensure that our children are healthy by eating fresh and chemical-free vegetables planted and harvested by their parents and teachers,” Macapobre added.

The program primarily aims to improve the nutritional status of the 4,257 elementary students in Bacong by at least 70 percent at the end of 120 feeding days.

To ensure that the program will be sustainable, the Municipal Convergence Committee in Bacong agreed that every year they will conduct a contest for the best implementer of ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’.

For the first inter-school ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan contest, Isugan Elementary School emerged as the grand winner while the Nazario Tale Memorial Elementary School and San Miguel Elementary School, placed first and second runners-up, respectively.

The criteria for the best implementer of vegetable garden are; (25%) Presence of Vegetable and Health garden: 10 kinds of Vegetables and 10 kinds of Herbal, (30%) Adoption of different strategies and technology, (20%) Contribution to school feeding program, (20%) community participation and (5%) Record Management and Documentation with a total of 100%.

Freshly picked vegetables in the ‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ of Isugan Elementary School.

The winners will receive vegetable package including seedlings and organic fertilizer and materials courtesy from Local Government Unit of Bacong and the awarding of the winners will be held during the Leon Kilat celebration on July 2018. ###

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