The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) will be part of the establishment of an “iron fortified" rice processing plant in Laoang, Northern Samar to address the high incidence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the province.
Elementary school children wearing face masks sit in a classroom on Natuna island in Riau islands province on 4 February, 2020. (File photo MANILA BULLETIN)
DOST Secretary Fortunato “Boy” T. de la Peña said the project is in response to the pressing problem of anemia in the country and the mandatory food fortification of staple food under Republic Act No. 8976 or “An Act Establishing the Philippine Food Fortification Program and for Other Purposes.”
“Once the processing plant is established, this will be the first of its kind in the Visayas,” he reported.
He said the DOST, through its Community Empowerment through Science and Technology (CEST) Program allocated ₱550,000 for the procurement and installation of required processing equipment and other requirements for full technology deployment and commercialization.
The fortified rice processing plant will adopt the iron-fortified rice technology developed by the DOST- Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).
De la Peña said the municipal local government unit (LGU) of Laoang, Northern Samar provides more than ₱4.5 million for the construction of the building facility, and the Northern Samar and Mainland Farmers Producers Cooperative (MAFPC) is expected to share ₱897,500 for operating expenses.
He said the DOST-VIII and the LGU of Laoang, Northern Samar have already signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on the project.
The funds were expected to be transferred to the LGU before the end of June to pave the way for the immediate procurement of the equipment.
“This project, which will be implemented in close coordination with the DOST-Provincial S&T Northern Samar, intends not only to lower the anemia incidence in the province with availability of iron-fortified rice, but also to improve the economic status of rice farmers who are members of the Province-wide Farmers Producers Cooperative (MAFPC),” the DOST chief said.
The 2018 Expanded National Nutritional Survey (ENNS) showed the high prevalence of anemia among residents in the province of Northern Samar: 23.2 percent of infants from 6 to 71 months old, 13.1 percent of children from 6 to 12 years, 12.7 percent of kids from 13 to 19 years old, 9.7 percent of lactating mothers, 11.4 percent of nonpregnant/non-lactating mothers, and 18.4 percent of elders aged 60 years old and above.