Every time she prepared a meal, Audrey Marie Blancas used to silently worry if what she served was enough to keep her growing child strong.

Living in Barangay Ramos West in San Isidro town, Isabela province, she understood that proper nutrition was the foundation of a healthy life. But making ends meet while providing daily nutritious meals was always a struggle.

Like many parents facing financial difficulties, Audrey reached a point where her child required an urgent nutritional intervention. And it was a heavy burden for her to accept that the lack of nutritious food might stunt her child’s physical growth as well as the ability to learn and dream.

The narrative shifted entirely in the years 2024 and 2025 when her child was enrolled in the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) and the Milk Feeding Program (MFP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Field Office (FO) 2- Cagayan Valley.

The SFP is the DSWD’s primary nutritional intervention aimed at combating hunger and under nutrition among children during their early years of development.

This SFP is designed specifically for young learners enrolled in community Child Development Centers (CDCs) and Supervised Neighborhood Plays (SNP) as a supplement to their regular food intake by providing hot nutritious meals, paired with milk continuously for 120 days.

More than just serving food, the SFP actively monitors the children’s weight and height while incorporating vitamin supplements, deworming, and parental education on proper nutrition that ensure children will acquire physical strength and cognitive focus needed to thrive in their formative years.

“Malaking tulong po ang programang ito sa aking anak na kabilang sa mga benepisyaryo, sa pamamagitan ng masustansyang pagkain na ibinibigay, natutulungan ang mga bata na mapabuti ang kanilang nutrisyon at mapanatili ang kanilang kalusugan habang sila ay nasa kanilang mga unang taon ng pagkatuto,” Audrey said.

Monitoring progress

The physical changes did not happen overnight, but they were undeniable. Audrey watched her child regain a healthy appetite and exhibit an energy that translated into more active days.

Eventually, official anthropometric assessments confirmed what she already knew in her heart, showing that all of her child’s nutritional indicators had finally reached normal levels.

The improvements went beyond favorable statistics. Every pound gained and every energetic step proved their hardest days were behind them.

Now that the child has a normal nutritional status, they are ready for formal schooling and recommended for the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) in kindergarten.

Sustainable solution

Audrey’s family also became beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), which provided them with a sustainable solution right in their own backyard.

Through the WGP, Audrey started cultivating a vegetable garden by transforming a patch of soil into a steady source of fresh produce.

This shift from relying solely on external aid to growing their own food source gave Audrey a renewed sense of confidence. The fear of where to get their next healthy meal was entirely replaced by a sustainable routine.

Audrey is now able to sustain the gains of the SFP program at home with the vegetables sourced from her garden and through the assistance of the WFP.

“Maraming salamat po sa DSWD at sa lahat ng katuwang sa programang ito, malaki ang naitulong ninyo sa kalusugan ng aking anak at sa aming pamilya, dahil sa inyong suporta, mas panatag kaming harapin ang kanyang kinabukasan,” Audrey pointed out.

The comprehensive initiatives of the DSWD go beyond simply treating hunger by actively preventing it, ensuring that children can leave poor health behind and embrace a brighter and healthier future. (KI)