DepEd Caraga rolls out ‘SAPAT’ strategy in celebration of 51st Nutrition Month
By
NiΓ±a Jonalyn Gambe-Diamante
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) —The
Department of Education (DepEd) Caraga has officially launched the
implementation of the ‘SAPAT’ strategy this month of July across all school
divisions in the region.
The initiative is anchored on the theme, “Sa PPAN: Sama-Sama sa
Nutrisyong Sapat, Para sa Lahat,” which underscores the importance of inclusive
and sustainable food and nutrition security.
The SAPAT strategy stands for:
S – Strengthen food policies
A – Amplify public awareness
P – Promote sustainable food systems
A – Activate partnerships without conflicts of interest
T – Transform food systems
DepEd Caraga’s schools division offices (SDOs) have been
directed to conduct localized activities that reflect the strategy’s core
objectives. These include nutrition education sessions, school gardening
initiatives under the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP), cooking
demonstrations, and organizing ‘Buy
Local’ weeks to promote climate-resilient and locally sourced food.
“The SAPAT Strategy can be a useful framework to promote proper
nutrition to all learners as it emphasizes the importance of eating a healthy,
balanced and complete meal to prevent malnutrition. This prepares our students
to be holistically ready to thrive academically and prevent absenteeism,” said
Rena Grace G. Tul-id, regional nutritionist-dietitian of DepEd Caraga.
“Another important concept is to strengthen the functionality
and sustainability of school gardens through GPP as a key component for food
security. Through this initiative, access to nutritious food will be more
readily available for the learners in schools, which in turn, will solve the
problem of hunger and malnutrition for school-age children,” she added.
The campaign also encourages schools to host contests such as
poster-making, slogan-writing, and quiz bees to engage students and communities
in promoting healthy diets and food safety. Social media platforms are being
utilized to amplify the message and showcase local nutrition efforts.
According to DepEd Caraga officials, the implementation of
“SAPAT” aligns with the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition (PPAN)
2023–2028 and the Philippine Development Plan, which prioritize food and
nutrition security as a fundamental human right.
“As for the [DepEd Caraga] regional office, we will also be
conducting ‘Regional Medical, Dental, Nursing, and Nutrition Outreach’ to the
three selected schools in Surigao del Sur with priority health and nutrition
needs in the coming weeks. This is in partnership with the selected SDOs’
Health & Nutrition Section personnel, Department of Health-Center for Health
Development (DOH-CHD) Caraga’s registered nutritionist-dietitian, and Fresh Q,
“ shared Tul-id.
“The local government of Lianga and Provincial Health Office
(PHO) of Surigao del Sur have also expressed their support by providing
medical supplies and transportation assistance,” Tul-id expressed
enthusiastically with heartfelt gratitude to their public and private
stakeholders on behalf of DepEd Caraga Director Maria Ines C. Asuncion.
All participating schools are expected to submit documentation and highlights of their Nutrition Month activities by early September as part of the region’s monitoring and evaluation efforts. This likewise reinforces DepEd Caraga’s commitment to not only deliver quality basic education, but also to be one with the government in its goal to mitigate malnutrition in the entire country. (NJGD/PIA Caraga)
