TACLOBAN CITY – The regional office of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) intends to focus more on combating malnutrition among pre-schoolers and Grade I pupils in malnutrition-hit areas of Northern and Western Samar after successfully meeting targets in its milk-feeding program in Leyte, Biliran and Southern Leyte.
Ms. Dioleta Segun, an official of the NDA regional office in Ormoc City, said the refocus of the program’s effort is largely the result of a survey, which identified 10 towns in Northern Samar, Biliran and Western Samar as places in the region with the highest percentage of malnourished first graders and pre-school kids.
“We are refocusing our efforts to Samar, which, according to a survey, registered the highest percentage of malnourished pre-schoolers and first graders,” Segun said.
The 10 towns in the region with the highest percentage of malnourished kids aged seven and below are: Las Navas, San Sebastian, Sto. Niño, San Jose de Buan, Pagsanghan, Tarangnan, Caibiran, Calbiga, Pinabacdao and Mondragon. All of the identified towns except Caibiran are situated in Samar Island.
But due to the lack of funds, the program’s implementation in the target areas is expected to be delayed, as NDA would still have to secure assurances of additional funding from funding agencies in and out of the region.
“We are hoping to secure the help of the office of External Affairs (OEA)in Malacañang and get additional funding from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and Philippine Amusements and Gambling Board (PAGCOR),” Segun added.
The milk-feeding program has proven effective in previous years, as it greatly reduced the number of malnourished pre-school kids and first graders in Leyte.
In previous years, according to a nationwide survey, Southern Leyte registered one of the highest malnutrition rate among kids aged seven and below in the country. But after the implementation of the program, which enjoyed the backing of Local Government Units (LGUs) in Southern Leyte, the province registered one of the lowest malnutrition rates in the country.
