By Merlina Hernando-Malipot The Department of Education (DepEd) will sustain the implementation of the vegetable production program in all public schools nationwide. Education Secretary Leonor Briones, in DepEd Memorandum No. 95 series of 2018, said that the DepEd – through the Learner Support Services-School Health Division (BLSS-SHD) – sustains the implementation of the “Gulayan sa Paaralan” (GPP) in public elementary and secondary schools nationwide “to address malnutrition and promote vegetable production and consumption among school children.” Briones explained that the DepEd Memorandum No. 293 series of 2007 was issued to “encourage both public elementary and secondary schools to establish school gardens to ensure continuous supply of vegetables for school feeding, specifically School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP).” The guidelines on the implementation of the GPP, Briones said, is stipulated in the DepEd Memo No. 223 series of 2016 which directs the strengthening of the GPP. DepEd said the goal is “to sustain school gardens, not only to attain 63% sustainable garden at present, but also to establish gardens in all schools nationwide.” This same memo will be used to continue the implementation of the GPP. Meanwhile, Briones also announced that DepEd will conduct a “Search for Outstanding Implementers” at the schools division and regional levels to give recognition to the best implementers of the GPP. “Incentives and plaques of appreciation will be given to the winners,” she said. Furthermore, Briones also enjoined all regional directors, schools division superintendents, and school heads to “provide full administrative support to the management of the program.” STRENGTHENING HEALTH PROGRAMS Briones said that the general objective of the GPP is to “promote food security in schools and communities, through self-help food production activities and values among learners and appreciation of agriculture as a life support system.” Specifically, the GPP also aims to “establish and maintain gardens as a ready food basket/source of vegetables in sustaining feeding.” It also served as “laboratory for learners” and “produce in schools vegetables which have rich sources of protein, vitamins, and mineral, and eventually increase vegetable consumption and improve learners’ nutrition.” The GPP also aims to “showcase small-scale food production models” and “inculcate among the learners the values of gardening, good health and nutrition, love of labor and caring for others.” Briones stressed the importance of strengthening the GPP since it is a source of ingredients for the SBFP. Thus, she also encouraged the families of beneficiaries to have their own home garden for the continuous nutritional improvement at home. The SBFP aims to improve the nutritional status of the 533,425 ‘severely wasted’ and 1,385,039 ‘wasted’ learners from Kinder to Grade 6 by at least 70% at the end of its 120 feeding days. The program also aspires to boost classroom attendance by 85%, and improve children’s health, nutritional values and behavior. Last year, DepEd also launched the “Oplan Kalusugan (OK) sa DepEd Program” which recognizes the vital role of all DepEd health personnel in the delivery of quality, accessible, relevant, and liberating basic education for all. “This OK sa DepEd Program is a converging effort where health plans, policies, programs, and activities are implemented to ensure that all school children are provided with basic primary health and dental care to allow them to attain their full educational potential,” Briones said. “It will also ensure that all DepEd school health personnel and school children practice healthier behavior that they can do on their own, and get linked up with health providers and local government units (LGUs) for child and adolescent health services,” she added. The “OK sa DepEd Program” is set to take its full implementation in July, school year (SY) 2018-2019, in close collaboration with the Department of Health (DOH), LGUs, and various stakeholders at the local and national levels.