DIPOLOG CITY – Some 300 children in Roxas, Zamboanga del Norte were treated by the Department of Science and Technology – IX (DOST-IX) with foods rich in nutrients in a nutri-feeding activity held Tuesday in Barangay Nabilid.
From the 300 children, 30 of them aged 4-6, identified by the Municipal Nutrition Action Office as underweight and lack the necessary nutrients, are beneficiaries of the 3-month supplemental feeding program. These children will be supplied with the necessary food requirements for the entire duration of the program.
During the activity, nutritious foods from DOST-assisted micro, small and medium enterprises (SMSEs) in the region were served such as squash breads from Baron Bakeshop, calamansi juice from Zambo Tropical, iron-fortified rice, and nutri-booster cereals for younger children.
During the program, Roxas Mayor Eduardo Yebes said he is happy that his town was chosen as the beneficiary of this program.
“We are grateful to DOST-IX for choosing Roxas as beneficiary of this nutri-feeding. This is a big help towards our campaign to alleviate the malnutrition in this village and the entire municipality,” he said in Cebuano.Roxas is identified by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) to have registered high cases of malnutrition among municipalities in Zamboanga del Norte.
Engr. Marcial R. Dahonan, DOST provincial S&T director in Zamboanga del Norte, said the DOST-IX is also thankful to the local government of Roxas for the show of support in this endeavor.Earlier, DOST-IX Regional Director Brenda L. Nazareth-Manzano said this nutri-feeding activity is DOST’s response towards improving the nutrition among children in the rural areas.
“We want to assure that the food products developed out of our technology truly benefit and reach our people,” he said. Last year, similar feeding program was conducted in Tigbao, Zamboanga del Sur.
This nutri-feeding program is part of the weeklong celebration of the Regional Science and Technology Week, which commenced last July 4 and will end on July 10 in Dipolog City. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Nasa Siyensiya ang Pag-asa.” (Nuhman M. Aljani and Thelma E. Diego, DOST-IX)
