The National Anti-Poverty Commission has allocated more than P1.6 million for 1,789 day care pupils of Oriental Negros under its Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program.

Alice Lagarde, Provincial Social Welfare and Development officer, said the pupils from 10 municipality day care centers will receive free hot meals and fresh milk for 42 days this year.

Available indigenous food materials will be used in the preparation of the food which will provide at least one-third of the recommended daily energy and nutrients intake of children three to five years old, she added.

Lagarde also said the local government units included in the project are the 5th and 4th class municipalities of Amlan, San Jose, Bacong, Basay, Bindoy, Dauin, Jimalalud, Tayasan, Vallehermoso, and Zamboanguita.

Under the project, Oriental Negros was identified as one of the 20 provinces in the country as "Priority 2 areas", or those which posted the highest poverty incidence.

The NAPC said a number of Filipino have incomes below the poverty threshold or the minimum amount needed to purchase the adequate quantity and quality of food and other basic needs for daily activities.

Its latest survey showed that, on the average, the number of hungry Filipinos has gone down to 57.3 percent under her watch compared to previous administrations.

The Provincial Nutrition Council of Oriental Negros is preparing an integrated action plan on Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program to work closely and monitor the project implementation, Lagarde said.*RG

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