The global COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to various sectors, including the basic education sector. Schools and community learning centers have been closed for physical conduct of classes, as part of government measures to contain COVID-19.

As a response, the Department of Education under the “Masustansiyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino” Act (RA 11037) has developed the Basic Education Learning Continuity Plan (BE-LCP) which lays out the Department’s learning delivery strategy and operational direction that ensures the health, safety, and well-being of all DepEd learners and personnel.

“OK talaga sa DepED” or Oplan Kalusugan sa DepEd major programs include the School-Based Feeding Program-Milk Feeding Component. The Milk feeding program caters to school learners from Kinder to Grade 6 who are wasted and severely wasted. On 8 September 2020, a dry run for the milk feeding program implementation was conducted in the South Central School, Division of City of Gapan, Nueva Ecija (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0Gy4hSf10o). Three (3) barangay schools were pre-identified as the drop-off point of milk in sachets namely, Barangay Maburak Elementary School, Mangino Elementary School and San Roque Elementary School. The teaching and non-teaching personnel oriented the parents on the procedures in availing the commodity: 1) parents to pick up the milk direct from the designated school; 2) assigned DepED personnel to hand-over or distribute the milk in sachets; and 3) advise the parents to store milk properly to ensure freshness and safety.

The milk feeding program is made possible through the collaborative efforts of the DepED, the National Dairy Authority and the Philippine Carabao Center. The distribution of milk sachets started on October 5, 2020. Please see link for the video of the dry run.

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Contributor: Ms. Crisel Pantalunan, Nutritionist-Dietitian II

DepEd-RO3