TACLOBAN CITY-Average diets of Filipino school-age children 6 to 12 years old are poor in quantity and quality, according to the 2013 National Nutrition Survey by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (FNRI-DOST).  Of these children, four in five were at-risk of inadequate energy intake and almost one in two was at risk of inadequate protein intake. Coming to school on empty stomachs compromises the productivity of children, as they tend to become sluggish, less attentive and less participative. School performance may be affected over time if this situation becomes protracted. Given the link between diets, nutrition and performance in observation studies, these findings could play a significant role in the school-age children’s performance in school as well as school participation rates.

School feeding programs (SFP) bridge this hunger gap, at least for the period that a child attends school. Private companies had partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd) in its “Adopt-a-School” strategy in order to complement and maximize resources. Initiatives from private companies came in their corporate social responsibility (CSR) function. A retrospective evaluation of school feeding programs (SFP) implemented by a private renewable energy company in 24 partner-schools for the school year 2012 – 2013 in five host communities was conducted by the FNRI-DOST from July to August, 2013.

The SFPs were evaluated in terms of potential contribution of foods served to recommended energy and protein intakes, nutritional status and mean quarter grade average as compared with schools without the feeding program. Depending on meals served and duration of feeding, results showed that the SFP had the potential to increase energy, protein and iron intakes by as much as 41.6, 24.6 and 31.1 percent, respectively. By the end of the school term, a decrease in the prevalence of underweight by 9.5 percentage points among SFP participants, while a 5.1 percentage point increase in the prevalence of underweight among non-SFP participants, were observed. In addition, significantly higher mean quarter grade average was recorded among SFP participants with an average grade of 79.2 – 81.2 percent, compared to non-SFP participants with an average grade of 78.6 – 80.2 percent.

The sustainability of the school feeding program appears high with the strong support of the school and the parent-volunteers in the private company’s SFP.  A limitation of the evaluation study’s research design is that results are considered associations rather than attributions to the school feeding programs. The evaluation of this program is part of the research functions of the Nutrition Intervention, Evaluation and Policy Section of the FNRI-DOST. The FNRI-DOST recognizes the value of investments in packaging nutrition intervention delivery systems and nutrition policy research in addressing malnutrition among vulnerable Filipino population groups.(PR)

PALO, Leyte- Seventeen new patrol cars were distributed to the six provincial headquarters and city police stations by the regional Philippine National Police. The vehicles are to be used as staff cars or for administrative functions, Chief Supt. Elmer Beltejar, acting police regional director, said. “This is more as a service vehicles for our staff and will not be used in police operations,”Beltejar. Beltejar led the distribution of the equipment on Monday (July 25) at the regional police headquarters at Camp Ruperto Kangleon, this town. Each vehicle cost around P878,000 and is different from the patrol cars used by the police personnel during their operations. The police cars are among the 398 service utility vehicle that was acquired by the PNP in 2015 worth P394.4 million. In 2015, the PNP distributed 1,490 patrol jeeps to municipal police stations— 669 in Luzon, 369 in Visayas, and 422 in Mindanao. (ROEL T. AMAZONA)

TACLOBAN CITY—Fr. Virgilio Cañete of Palo Archdiocese has admitted that the Catholic Church is “helpless” in solving the spate of drug-related killings in the country. Cañete’s remarks came after three suspected drug personalities in Tacloban city were killed last July 29 at the vicinity of the Daniel Z. Romualdez(DZR) Airport where Pope Francis held Mass on January 17, 2015 for survivors of supertyphoon “Yolanda” that killed over 6,000 people. The victims, two of them were women, bore multiple gunshot wounds. A paper marked with crude writings “I am a pusher, Lord I am sorry” was also found along with the dead bodies.

A witness said that at least 10 gunshots were heard and men speeding on their motorcycles were seen in the area before the bodies were discovered early morning. “Only the police and the President can stop it by declaring moratorium. The respite might show whether it’s the drug syndicates who do the killings, but remember it can work both ways for them,” Cañete said in an interview. “The Church cannot do anything now. It had already warned of the consequences. Those who started these bloodbaths have the will to stop them,” he added. Cañete, however, noted that there is a growing affirmation from the public on the series of extra-judicial killings of suspected criminal and drug personalities in the country after Pres. Rodrigo Duterte was elected into office last May. Mr. Duterte earlier declared that his anti-drug campaign will be a bloody one.

Citing a news report, the priest said that there is a majority view on agreeing to the extra-judicial killing. “Though there are no surveys to back it up, more based on ventilated sentiments in social media and the pulse of the streets feeling frustration of the proliferation of drugs and the crimes it effects,” he said. Asked whether the Church is now powerless in its moral and spiritual teachings to its flock, Cañete said that the public “rather listen to those ranters who follow blindly every word of their idol.” “We hope the President calls it off. The drug war can still be fought but not this way. Leave the police to exercise the best of their expertise. This manner of conducting the war is easy,” he said. In Eastern Visayas alone, over 6, 000 drug users and pushers have reportedly surrendered to the authorities voluntarily after the government intensified its nationwide anti-illegal drugs campaign dubbed as “Oplan Tokhang.”
(RONALD O. REYES)

TACLOBAN CITY – The Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) in the region is aiming to double the production of abaca planting materials with the commitment of the new administration to embark on massive rehabilitation of abaca farms infested by diseases. PhilFIDA Regional Director Wilardo Sinahon said they are mapping out plans on how to maximize the production of disease-free planting materials from two existing tissue culture laboratories in the region. These are located in a Department of Agriculture compound in Abuyog, Leyte and National Abaca Research Center at the Visayas State University (VSU), Baybay City. “Despite high demands, both laboratories currently produce half of their maximum capacity due to lack of manpower and limited budget,” Sinahon said. The Abuyog and VSU facilities are capable of producing 10,000 and 20,000 plantlets monthly, respectively.

“The concern now is the source of clean planting materials. The plan is to get from other provinces, but we have to check for the sources to ensure that planting materials are disease-free,” Sinahon added. Description: https://scontent.fceb1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-1/c5.0.32.32/p32x32/34990_10151329792611447_357988730_n.jpg?oh=d743f14cfa97ae11c1154212e9c65374&oe=585D94BB Department of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol recently announced a P100 million funding for the revival of abaca industry this year in Sogod, Southern Leyte alone.

Part of the funds will be for the enhanced production of plantlets in existing tissue culture laboratories and make the similar facility inside the Southern Leyte State University operational. Out of the P100 million, P50 million is allotted for the immediate procurement of planting materials, which will cover about 1,500 hectares. The plan is to immediately assist the farmers by buying planting materials from them using the local abaca variety, which is thriving well in the area. In addition to free planting materials, the national government will also provide organic fertilizers to recipient farmers in Sogod. Sinahon is very optimistic that with the P100 million budget, Sogod will be able to restore its production in the next few years. “The fresh funding support for this town is 14 times more than the current P7 million abaca disease eradication budget for the region’s six provinces,” he added. Sogod is the top abaca producing town in Southern Leyte with about 6,000 hectares devoted to abaca cultivation. About 2,000 of 6,000 abaca farmers in the province are based in Sogod.
(SARWELL Q. MENIANO)