BES FRIENDS FEEDING PROGRAM
Since 2008
The BES FRIENDS FEEDING PROGRAM started feeding in Bagumbayan Elementary School (BES) in Barangay Bagumbayan, Quezon City. It is a personal advocacy that started with a prompting to feed malnourished children in 2008. From 50 kids in 2008, this school year 2020 we fed over 1100 kids in 8 public elementary schools in Quezon City: Bagumbayan, Pura Kalaw, Proj
ect 3, Fairview and Sinag-tala. Although the DepEd has a feeding program which began a few years ago, the number of recipients as well as the duration of the program is limited by public funds. At the start of BES FRIENDS FEEDNG PROGRAM, we fed older malnourished kids, those in grades 5 and 6. But because I had read that the degradation of mental capacity due to malnutrition is irreversible at age 5, we started feeding the kids in the lower grades until kindergarten then also included preschool children and pregnant and lactating mothers. In school year 2022-2023, 300 malnourished kids are fed freshly cooked nutritious rice meals. This number includes 17 pre- school children & 5 unborn children (lactating mothers). Another 831 malnourished children are given rice packs weekly. The rice packs are also being used by the school as incentive for attending remedial classes in Math and Reading and for counseling parents. Old Balara
3. Payatas B
4. Camarilla
5. GSIS Village
6. Marcelo H. Del Pilar
7. Quirino
8. Calalay
9. Pinyahan
10. San Isidro (in Tiaong Quezon)
The Feeding Procedure
At first, the food was cooked by the school's HE teacher and the dishes washed by parent volunteers. When the number of recipients increased, we employed a full time cook and a kitchen staff of 3. Ingredients were bought fresh from the market every day and cooked in the school’s feeding area as early as 5 am. Feeding starts at 7am in groups of 30-40 kids. Feeding ends at 3pm. Menu includes pork sinigang, chicken adobo with string beans or eggs, shrimps and vegetables in coconut sauce, chaofan, ground pork with carrots and potatoes, and the like. Since most kids do not like eating vegetables we cut the vegetables very small, or hide them in burger patties and spring rolls. Meals end with a dosage of vitamin C. Some kids go to school without breakfast nor “baon”. So we made a list of these kids and handed them to the school canteen. These kids go to the canteen to claim their snacks during recess. This year of the pandemic we are giving food packs of 1kilo quality rice, 3 big sachets of powdered milk, and 7 pcs vitamin C. Parents pick them up together with their child’s learning modules once a week. Other Activities and Benefits
Aside from daily feeding of freshly cooked nutritious and hot rice meals, we have other activities. At the start of the school year, we give each child a school bag bursting with complete school supplies and unlimited refills during the school year. This is a big relief for the parents who cannot afford not only notebooks and pencils/ball pens, but especially illustration boards, bond and art paper, pastel, paint and crayons. We also provide the school office and teachers with teaching materials such as pentel pens, manila paper, and bond paper. b.We also hold dental missions in cooperation with graduating students from dental schools and lately, the Philippine Dental Association. c.We organize regular parenting talks by professional counselors. These talks help the parents empower their children. And make them aware of how the children learn values from them. In the beginning, few parents came and we had to lure them to come by hosting lunch, giving away rice packs, and announcing a raffle with big prizes. Slowly more parents came without all the frills, save an afternoon snack. d.Teen years are difficult years. We thus conduct teen talks to Grade 6 kids, as a graduation present. e.We hold catechism classes for the Grades 4-6 kids focusing on the mysteries of the Holy Rosary. We celebrate Mama Mary’s birthday on Sept. 8. And we pray the rosary daily during the weekdays of October, the month of the Rosary. f.We also sponsor the school's summer camp for reading, science, and math. Since we started feeding during summer, more and more kids come to the school to enjoy various activities like art, taekwondo, and sports. g. All kids are insured against accidents, animal bites, and illnesses including dengue. We started this insurance when we noticed that almost every year one or two kids would die because the parents had no money to bring them to the hospital right away. With the insurance, 100% of their hospital expense is reimbursed. h.Every 2nd Saturday of December, we have a Meet and Greet event. The children are very excited to meet their sponsors. The children pray before meals mentioning the names of their sponsors every day and finally there is a chance to see them in person! It is touching to see the children gratefully hugging their sponsors and shyly giving them their handmade cards. Some are laughing, others are moved to tears. But everyone is happy. All the kids receive Christmas gifts. And all bring home a Noche Buena package of spaghetti and meat sauce and fruit salad ingredients for their families. Sadly, almost all the activities are on hold during this pandemic. We, however, had a parenting zoom class entitled “Nawalan ka din ba?” (Grief and Loss in this Pandemic) by Dr. Bicbic Medez from RCWFI. Source of Funds
The funds initially came from just me, my family, and a few friends. I estimated that a rice meal would cost P15. P15x 5days a week x 4 weeks a month. That’s P300 a month per child. P300/month x 10 months June to March is P3000. It costs P3000 to feed one child for the whole school year. From a handful of family and friends, BES Friends Feeding Program has grown to include many more sponsors usually friends and family of sponsors themselves
Effects of the Feeding Program
The kids are weighed and measured at the start and again at the end of the school year. Aside from the weight and height increase, the kids look smart and bright and happy. As the school principal once commented, they now looked like children of well-off families. It is consoling to know that one day these happy and smart children will be the adults, some of them future leaders, of our evolving nation. Since we started feeding, attendance in the classroom has improved dramatically. Children used to faint from hunger or absent themselves from school. Now children are excited to go to school. It is like having a party every day. They enjoy eating with their friends and eating good food in a clean and pleasant atmosphere. The children learn to interact more politely and praying becomes a good habit. Parents treat their children more kindly using positive discipline techniques learned in our talks. Awards
1st Gawad Kaagapay
Most Outstanding Stakeholder Award
2021
2nd Gawad Kaagapay
Most Outstanding Stakeholder Award
2022
3rd Gawad Kaagapay
Most Outstanding Stakeholder Award
2023
The Goal
BES Friends Feeding Program is privileged to feed the children especially at this difficult time. There are many more kids needing sponsors. There are hundreds of malnourished and wasted children in the 5 schools we are currently feeding. And there are thousands more in the many other schools we aim to feed not only in Quezon City and Metro Manila but also in provinces. Feeding the children now will not only nourish their bodies but also build their dreams of one day becoming our country’s future leaders. Feeding is nation building. Truly, the children are our Hope of the Future. Feeding them with nutritious meals will make them smart and confident adults. Future dynamic leaders in multiple communities all over our country. Join me. Sponsor a child. Each child matters!
