DAVAO ORIENTAL- More progress has been made here in combating malnutrition among children as a ceremonial turn-over of Gulayan sa Paaralan Support Interventions was staged by the Provincial Government of Davao Oriental together with the Department of Agriculture through the Provincial Agriculture Office on August 9, 2019 at the Provincial Agriculture Office Compound, Matiao, City of Mati, Davao Oriental.
Governor Nelson Dayanghirang, in his message, stressed out that the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program is also a means of bringing back the interest of the younger generation in agriculture and food production. He added that the government will always support the children for they are the hope of the future, thus, fostering them the sense of responsibility while staying healthy will always be the government’s concern.
Gulayan sa Paaralan is a program supported by the Department of Agriculture through Memorandum Order number 95 series of 2018 which is sustaining the Implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program wherein public schools (elementary and secondary) will establish vegetable gardens minimum of 200 square meters within the school compounds.
Moreover, Rotchie M. Ravelo, the Provincial Agriculture Office Head, thanked all the teachers for their efforts and contributions to the implementation of the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program.
He emphasized that the government have recognized teachers as the “supermen” and “superwomen” for they have become agriculturist, nurses, doctors, priests and engineers in their respective schools. “The move of the government in addressing malnutrition is very much strategic. Strategic since teachers are influential to the learners, their efforts ensure healthy citizenry, making them significant partners in community development.” he added.
Meanwhile, Vice Governor Nino Uy, encouraged the School Heads to sustain the program in their respective school not just for every competition but in the whole school year. He added that “achieving one vision requires further convergence and collaboration to further the effect of the program not just on the children but also to each community in the Province”.
Furthermore, Reynaldo Guillena, School Division Superintendent duly represented by Fritzie Apara, GPP Focal Person lauded the partnership for implementing the relevant interventions for the nutrition support of the learners. “Achieving quality, inclusive, liberated and relevant education will not be achieved without delivering support services to the learners,” she emphasized as the implementation of the GPP compliments to their school-based feeding program of the Department of Education.
“With that endeavor we have seen the change it affects not just only to the students but also to the communities as it was then replicated by the BLGU’s,” she furthered. Henceforth, Arlene Buenaflor, School Head, Tuburan Village Elementary School emotionally expressed her experienced in the implementation of GPP that brought their school to a greater height that made them one of best implementors in the Province and Region.
“The best thing that happened to us aside from the recognition is the change of culture and the perspective of the learner’s parents that will surely last a lifetime,” she said. Among the goods that were turned over to the schools included assorted vegetable seeds, drums, seedling trays, wheel barrow, rake, shovel, water sprinkler and organic fertilizer. By Harold John Jamero Miguel/Photos By Eden Jhan Licayan
