The National Food Authority has supplied a total of 5.1 million bags of rice worth P5.2 billion for the Food for School Program (FSP) in the last five years to support the government’s drive against malnutrition among school children and to address hunger among their families as part of the Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program (AHMP) of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.
NFA administrator Jessup P. Navarro said, the program which the agency jointly implements with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has to date benefitted some 3 million school schildren.
the FSP which started in school year 2004 has been an ongoing program of the government in combating hunger and alleviating poverty. Under the FSP, each pupil beneficiary is given a kilogram of rice each day in exchange for their class attendance. However, the number of days for FSP varies depending on the scheme determined by the DepEd and the DSWD.
Aside from improving school attendance, the program primarily assures the health and well being of pupil-beneficiaries because FSP is a priority recepient of the Iron-Fortified Rice (IFR) being distributed tby NFA.
“The most visible benefit of the program is the improved health and nutritional status of the beneficiaries which lead to improved school attendance and enhanced academic performance,” Navarro said.
According to Navarro, the NFA is currently completing its rice deliveries to the FSP’s “Thirteen (13) Days School Program for the school year 2008-2009 (Phase II) with a total of 480,000 bags of 50 kg.
He said the FSP this schoo year has a total of 1,846,564 pupil beneficiaries. Of this total, 1,172,688 are situated in 20 Food Poor-provinces, 341,590 are within National Capital Region and 332,286 in the top 100 poorest municipalities determined using the National Statistical Coordination Board’s small area estimation (SAE) methodology.
The implementing agencies availed of rice from NFA at P20 per kilogram which are repackaged and delivered to the recepient schools.
Navarro added that since the rice provided to the student is being shared with the other family members, FSP creates a ripple effect in ensuring their nutritional improvement as well.
For more information on NFA programs, the public may send inquiries via Text NFA Program through mobile number 0917-6210927.
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