A province-wide feeding program is slated to start on November 15 this year in all public schools in Cebu, catering to over 878,000 students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.
This was the agreement reached by Gov. Gwen Garcia and key stakeholders during a meeting on Monday, October 9, in preparation for the Capitol’s “free lugaw” (porridge) feeding initiative for all learners in public schools of the province.
Unlike other programs that only feed students who are gravely undernourished or malnourished, Gov. Garcia wants the Capitol initiative to benefit all Cebuano learners in public schools regardless of their nutritional status classifications.
She wants this feeding program to be done five times a week, from Monday to Friday, until DepEd’s school year ends, as she wishes for no schoolchildren to go hungry while learning.
The National Food Authority will be on board to supply the rice requirements for the feeding program.
NFA regional head Maria Fe Evasco, who was present at the meeting, assured of the agency’s support to Gov. Gwen’s initiative, which she noted is the first of its kind in the country.
Likewise, Department of Education-7 director Dr. Salustiano Jimenez thanked the Capitol for its continued support to the efforts of DepEd in producing quality graduates of the public school system.
The officers of the Parent Teacher Association of each school is in charge of the cooking for the preparations and cooking the porridge every day. PTA officers are urged to prepare a healthier lugaw by putting chicken and vegetables like kamunggay which can be sourced from the school’s Sugbusog gardens.
Capitol is set to procure items like huge cauldrons, bowls, and utensils for the program’s implementation next month.
Funds for the feeding program will be sourced primarily from the Provincial School Board, which has jurisdiction over the Cebu provincial schools division — or those schools located in Cebu towns.
However, the governor has also ordered to include the city divisions of Mandaue City, Talisay, Carcar, Toledo, Naga, Danao, and Bogo in the feeding initiative. | Carlo Lorenciana