Despite the distance from mainland Basilan, Sibago Elementary School in far-flung Sibago Island has received food commodities for children under the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) for Academic Year 2021-2022.

Rasid Khan Julkitli, a teacher-in-charge, said in a statement on Saturday they have the assurance of the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (MBHTE – BARMM) that the food ration will reach all students.

Sibago, which falls under the political jurisdiction of Mohammad Ajul municipality, is located 57.1 kilometers from Basilan.

Julkitli expressed gratitude to the MBHTE-BARMM for pursuing the feeding program amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Surayfa Saddalan, nutritionist dietitian of MBHTE’s Health and Nutrition Unit, said in another statement that they wanted to distribute hot meals but the pandemic hinders them.

Instead, food packs will be distributed to 10,000 elementary students in Basilan province upon their enrollment.

The 13,607 kilos of food commodities consist of 11,107 kilos of anchovy and 2,500 kilos of mung beans.

An additional 62,100 kilos of iron-fortified rice is also set for delivery in the coming weeks.

Saddalan said the SBFP is pursuant to Republic Act No. 11037, otherwise known as the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.

“The law stipulates serving fortified meals to address the prevalence of malnutrition to school children, thus the Ministry allocated funds, duly approved by the BARMM Parliament, to support the program covering 160,000 learners across the region,” Saddalan said. (PNA)