BUTUAN- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Caraga has started the procurement process for the implementation of the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) for 2019.

This is based on the Amended Administrative Order No. 04, series of 2016 or otherwise known as Amended Omnibus Guidelines where the Department will act as the procuring entity on all the items to be utilized for the said program.

The new guidelines aim to address the issues and gaps identified as well as the issues on procurement process on the implementation of DSWD programs including the SFP.

The department facilitates the procurement of goods/service while the partner-LGUs are in-charge for the social preparation which includes identification of beneficiaries, orientation of parents, conduct initial weighing of the beneficiaries, deworming, and assists the Field Office in monitoring of the feeding program.

After the 60 days of the feeding program, the Field Office will conduct Operation Timbang to check the improvement on the weight of the children.

On the previous years, the agency adopted the fund transfer scheme where the funds would be downloaded directly to the account of the Local Government Units (LGUs) who will then procure of all the items needed for the implementation.

With this, the items will soon be delivered to the municipalities as this is intended for the feeding program for undernourished children ages three (3) to five (5) years old for a duration of 120 days. Under the said program, per child is allotted Php15.00 per day composed of rice and viand.

The implementation of SFP is in line with Republic Act No. 11037 also known as the ‘Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act’ of 2018 which mandates the Department to implement feeding programs to address issues in nutrition among Filipino children. ###(ABEGAIL R. ALVAREZ/Social marketing Unit/DSWD Field Office Caraga)