The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) in Western Visayas turned over on Monday a PHP2 million check to support the nutrition program of the local government of Iloilo City through a food production facility.

“Our support will be for equipment mostly for the facility and other support on supplies and materials and expendable items for the nutrition center,” DOST Regional Director engineer Rowen Gelonga said in an interview.

Gelonga turned over the check to City Administrator Melchor Tan on behalf of Mayor Jerry Treñas and witnessed city health officer Annabelle Tang at the city mayor’s office.

The nutrition program is a partnership initiative of the city government, private partner Bombo Radyo Philippines Foundation, Inc., and DOST.

The food production facility will adopt the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) complementary food product, specifically the rice-monggo-sesame blend and the squash variant of the enhanced nutribun.

The rice-monggo-sesame blend is a ready-to-cook blend of rice, mungbean and sesame beans containing four grams of protein and 130 kilocalories (kcal) energy per 30 grams pack, meeting 18 percent of recommended energy and 28.6 percent of the recommended protein for six months to less than 10 months old children.

The enhanced nutribun is ready-to-eat bread and a good source of energy, protein, Vitamin A, iron, calcium, potassium, and zinc. Each bun weighs 160 grams, containing 500kcal energy and 18 grams of protein.

He added they will start with the production once the equipment is available.

“Our formal training will start once the equipment is available, tapping our experts from FNRI. The city government is also planning to train its personnel on other dimensions of running a production facility,” Gelonga added.

Data from the city government showed that based on the 2023 Operation Timbang Plus, 628 preschool children were underweight and 384 were wasted. (PNA)