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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider DepEd denies 'minimizing' farmers' participation in school feeding implementation

DepEd denies 'minimizing' farmers' participation in school feeding implementation

Published Apr 21, 2022 04:43 pm

The Department of Education (DepEd) maintained that local farmers “have been and will always be prioritized” when determining milk supply to be used in its School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP).

DepEd / MANILA BULLETIN

DepEd said this as part of its response to the concerns raised by the Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI) and Dairy Confederation of the Philippines (DCP) through a letter.

PCAFI, in its letter, said that DepEd’s decision to implement the milk feeding component of the SBFP from April to July 2022 “in effect will diminish and minimize the participation of local dairy farmers under the program” and “effectively exclude and eliminate the local dairy farmers and milk processing plants from participating of DepEd’s Milk Feeding Program in favor of the big multinational processors....”

DepEd, however, noted that there is a need to “contextualize this claim” and reiterated that the local farmers’ participation in the SBFP has been through the MOA with the NDA and the PCC as also provided by law.

Together with the said agencies, DepEd said that it regularly conducts “milk supply mapping workshops” to determine how much milk local farmers can provide for the program through these agencies.

“It is only after the NDA and the PCC have made their commitments that the ‘share’ for commercial suppliers can be determined,” DepEd said.

DepEd noted that PCAFI also said in its letter that local farmers are currently producing and delivering milk for the SBFP through funds allocated from 2021 and that they have consistently done the same for funds allocated in 2019 and 2020.

“This proves that local farmers have been and will always be prioritized when determining milk supply,” DepEd said.

Moreover, DepEd explained it cannot particularly adjust its feeding calendar as requested by PCAFI “solely depending on when the farmers can produce milk for its learners.”

“PCAFI is practically requesting DepEd to delay the utilization of its 2022 funds for the milk component of the SBFP beyond June of this year because it is only then that local farmers will be able to supply the program’s requirement,” DepEd said.

RELATED STORY:

https://mb.com.ph/2022/04/20/deped-local-dairy-products-priority-in-school-feeding-program/

Related Tags

SBFP milk education School-Based Feeding Program FEEDING PROGRAM
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