The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) has launched a 120-day supplementary food feeding program to benefit 54 underweight or severely underweight children in Ramos, Tarlac.
The DOST III launched the feeding program to address the nutritional problems of pre-school children in Ramos, Tarlac, DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said.
"The feeding program is being undertaken in several municipalities in the region under the agency’s Expanded Implementation of Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (eCEST) Program and is aimed at improving the nutritional status of undernourished children,” he said in a report.
He said the beneficiaries were given a package of nutritious brown rice and veggie noodles made from vegetables such as squash and malunggay.
The recipients, which were identified through the Operation Timbang Plus 2020 conducted by the Rural Health Unit of Ramos, come from Barangays Guiteb, Pance, and Toledo.
"The program also seeks to create awareness on alternative and healthy food choices, especially to the parents who play a big role in their children’s health,” he said.
He said the 120-day feeding duration was adopted from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute's (FNRI) Complementary Food Feeding Program.
"Beneficiaries will be weighed again after program completion to determine the improvement of their nutritional status,” de la Peña said.