La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V (left), Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun (Facebook)

Ranking congressmen believe that serving spoiled milk or "nutribuns" to schoolchildren--particularly during the Department of Education’s (DepEd) implementation of its School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) last year--constitutes "criminal negligence". 

Assistant Majority Leaders Zambales 1st district Rep. Jay Khonghun and La Union 1st district Rep. Paolo Ortega V said that when it comes to this potential offense, the “principal” may be as guilty as the underlings based on the principle of command responsibility. 

Vice President Sara Duterte was still the Department of Education (DepEd) secretary in 2023. Her resignation took effect only last July 19. 

According to Ortega, the SBFP aims to help schoolchildren get proper nutrition, especially when they are in school. 

“Eh kung sıra ang gatas at nutribun o tinapay na dineliver, anong kinain ng mga bata? Wala. Kung ako ang magulang ng mga apektadong bata, magagalit ako,” said the Ilocano. 

(If spoiled milk and nutribun or bread were delivered, what did the children eat? Nothing. Had I been a parent of the affected children, I would be angry.) 

Khonghun said the failure of DepEd officials under Vice President Duterte to properly implement the SBFP not only deprived the children of getting appropriate and adequate nutrients, but also of the opportunity to learn well. 

“Kapag gutom ka, kumakalam ang sikmura mo - maging bata o matanda - ay di ka makakapag-focus sa pag-aaral o sa anumang ginagawa mo,” Khonghun said. 

(If you're hungry and your stomach is growling, then you won't be able to focus on your studies or any other activity--it doesn't matter if you're a child or an adult.) 

“That is why we say this is criminal neglect on the part of the implementers of the program, from the highest level at DepEd to the level of the school-recipient. The suppliers are equally guilty and they, too, should be punished,” the two "Young Guns" bloc members said. 

They said the culpability becomes heavier if there was a pupil who became sick as a result of consuming the expired milk or nutribun.

The two lawmakers said that thousands of schoolchildren were affected since the delivery of spoiled milk and nutribuns with molds or insects, as reported by the COA, took place in 10 of the country’s 17 regions. 
 

MUST READ:

https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/3/inaamag-na-brosas-hits-distribution-of-moldy-nutribuns-under-dep-ed-feeding-program

“Karamihan nitong 10 rehiyon ay nasa Mindanao. Mistulang pinabayaan ng tanggapan ni VP ang mismong kanyang mga kababayan doon,” they said. Vice President Duterte is a former Davao City mayor. 

(Most of these 10 regions are in Mindanao. The Office of the Vice President seemingly neglected her own countrymen there.)


Hold them accountable 

Meanwhile, Ako Bicol Party-list Rep. Zaldy Co, Committee on Appropriations chairman, said those responsible for the irregularities reported by COA in the implementation of the P5.7-billion school-based feeding program last year should be held accountable.  

“Kawawa ‘yung mga bata sa ating public schools na intended beneficiaries. Sana di sila nakainom ng sirang gatas or nakakain ng bulok na tinapay, pero baka nagutom sila,” he said. 

"I pity the children in our public schools, who were the intended beneficiaries. I hope they didn't eat consume the spoiled milk and moldy bread, but they may have been hungry.) 

Co supported calls from his House colleagues for an investigation of the mess to ensure that it doesn't get repeated.