Busog

The word is Hiligaynon for “satisfied” though mostly referring to having a full stomach or having enough.

This term is the first word in a project between two major partners - Jolibee Foundation and the University of St. La Salle. It is aptly called Busog, Kusog, Talino which means filled, health and talent. This is a public schools feeding program for early graders which as of now involves grades one and two.

The project, launched on June 30, 2009 is a joint effort of the two institutions with the participation of the Department of Education, the local government units and parents. After three years others are also pitching in to cover the huge cost of running this kind of project. In fact, more partners are sought.

I was invited to the Third BLT Negros Summit last July 3 that was convened by the sponsors to present the performance of its project officers. A large number of participants – about 500 packed the Santuario de La Salle – LGU officials, principals, parents, teachers and project collaborators like stakeholders and volunteers.

Grace Tancaktiong, president of Jolibee Foundation was the keynote speaker.

The statistics presented by Rhoderick Samonte, director for the USLS Institute for Negros Development were cold facts but they were clear and precise in revealing the strides and remaining challenges for BLT. The IND is the Master Implementing Partner.

Though statistics they nevertheless evoke images of children eating heartily and as shown in the report getting healthier with the food that was prepared with children’s health in mind.

The project is based on the commitment that “no child should go to school hungry”. In his welcome message, USLS President Ray Suplido, FSC, told of the rationale for the beginnings of the La Salle school system as developed by its founder, St. John Baptiste de La Salle who gathered poor, street kids and taught them the value of sharing –those who have share with those who have none or little.

Such I think is the spirit that drives this project and one of those commitments of La Salle that show the charism of the institution that I cited yesterday – USLS’ real essence.

Director Rhoderick Samonte said that this year BLT has 1,368 participating pupils although it started with 1,424 last year. The reasons for this drop are transfer of the children, the failure of parents to cooperate and withdrew their children while others left to work to help the family.

The last two reasons are unfortunate but they are realities in the rural areas and pose as challenges to our public officials on how to keep our children in school.

International information says that the Philippines is among the countries in Asia where children are kept out of school to work in the field.

In the Philippines child labor has been identified to be a problem in the farms especially in sugarcane and plantation type of agriculture. Child labor though is a bane all over the world but that is not an excuse for doing nothing but a reason for doing more.

Samonte also cited that in terms of academic performance 602 or 44 percent of those under the BLT program had 80 percent and above in final average grade, proving once again the direct relation between good nutrition and school performance.

There are now 20 LGUs (10 cities and 10 municipalities) involved with 84 schools participating in the project.

Although the schools play a major role, nevertheless the parents’ involvement is crucial. According to Samonte, 70 percentof parents regularly perform their feeding assignments and only 58 percent of students have perfect attendance, 32% with 88-99% attendance and only 10 percent with 87 percent and below attendance.

The report did not tell us the causes of non-perfect attendance, however, this is a remarkable percentage of participation.

For parents, however the reasons cited are that parents work in the haciendas or as house helps that prevented them from fully participating or complying with their obligations. As we know the situation of the wage workers’ lives that unless they work they don’t get paid. Without wages the ripple effect impacts not only on the children in grade school but the rest of the family.

The 2011-2012 school year program cost reached P3,788,916 of which Jolibee Foundation gave P2,139,076, USLS shouldered P543,295 and Rep. Albee Benitez chipped in P31,500. It is not shown whether the USLS share is only for direct cost.

Other contributors are the LGUs, the USLS Integrated School, Rotaract Bacolod North, SK Federation of Negros Occidental, USLS Student Government, St. Joseph School-La Salle, USLS Mission collection and the participating schools.

The list of LGUs participating unfortunately does not include several that are among the poorest in our municipalities. I think this is where intervention of BLT is more crucial but as usual projects of this nature require more funding.*

back to top