Carmen: The Department of Social Welfare and Development in Davao Region (DSWD-11) recently announced it handed over a PHP3.3 million check to Carmen town in Davao del Norte for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), which began Monday.

According to Philippines News Agency, DSWD-11 OIC-Director Merlina Paragamac stated that the budget will be utilized for 120 feeding days for 1,115 children aged two to four years old who are enrolled in day care centers, specifically Child Development Centers and Supervised Neighborhood Play. The funds will be used to purchase necessary ingredients for hot meals and milk, aimed at meeting the children's nutritional needs based on their age.

The SFP is designed to improve children's nutrition by supporting local foods and enhancing parents' knowledge, attitudes, and practices through nutrition education and Enhanced Parent Effectiveness Session (ENPES). For this year's implementation, the budget allocates PHP25 per meal per child, which includes rice and a viand, across the 120 feeding days.

DSWD-11 has set a target of reaching a total of 89,879 children across the region through the program.