Davao City (DSWD XI) -The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) bared that for the 7^th cycle implementation of its Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), a total of 127,746 children enrolled in 2,792 Child Development Centers in Davao Region were covered.

In response to the malnutrition problem and to help achieve the millennium goal 1 of eradicating poverty and hunger, DSWD, in partnership with Local Government Units (LGUs) implemented the feeding program.

Davao Del Sur with 345 Child Development Centers (CDCs) has served 14,021 children-beneficiaries; Davao del Norte with 583 CDCs served 31,774; Davao Occidental with 244 CDCs served 9,057; Compostela Valley with 542 CDCs served 25,214; Davao Oriental with 529 CDCs served 19,428; and Davao City with 549 CDCs was able to serve 28,252.

The feeding program aims to improve and sustain the nutritional status of target children-beneficiaries and improve knowledge, attitude and practices of children, parents and caregivers through intensified nutrition and health education.

It basically provides hot meals for 120 days to children enrolled in LGU-run Child Development Centers (formerly known as Day Care Centers) and Supervised Neighborhood Play.

Regional Director of DSWD Mercedita P. Jabagat emphasized that at the start of Cycle 7 implementation, DSWD piloted the provision of twice-a-day feeding in selected LGUs based on the following criteria: malnutrition rate as per National Nutrition Council (NNC); with children in Geographically isolated and Disadvantaged Areas, (GIDA) and Indigenous Peoples (lP) areas; with nutritionally depressed areas; and with no unliquidated funds from previous implementation of the regular feeding program.

Under the program, DSWD was able to download a total of Php 242,759,227.14 million to qualified partner LGUs in 2017.

Currently, DSWD implements the regular Supplementary Feeding Program in all LGUs across the country ​to ensure that day care children are able to consume nutritious food. (DSWD)