Guidelines for Supplemental Feeding Program

Rationale and program intent

The order is grounded on the continuing high incidence of poverty among Filipinos and the prevalence of malnutrition indicators (including underweight preschoolers and Vitamin A deficiency).
The order recognizes that a Supplemental Feeding Program has been implemented since 1976 by national agencies and non-government organizations, focusing on 0–6 years old underweight children.
The order states that implementation was devolved to LGUs under Republic Act No. 7160 (Local Government Code), and that the transition caused setbacks in program implementation.
The order links program design to observed implementation constraints, including that participating agencies provided only about 1/3 of the Recommended Dietary Allowance due to funding constraints and that families were unable to supply the remaining food needs.
The order states that the program will integrate nutrition education, parenting skills, and nutricum livelihood project to ensure sustained self-reliance.

Objectives and target outcomes

The order requires nutrition improvement for 35% of the enrolled moderately and severely underweight (non-medical) beneficiaries.
The order requires improvement of family food habits through the program’s nutrition education and related interventions.

Eligibility, target clientele, and coverage

The order defines the target clientele as moderately and severely (non-medical) underweight pre-school children aged 36 months to 72 months.
The order provides eligibility for beneficiaries’ families of six (6) members whose total monthly income is 3,675.00 and below.
The order provides feeding organization with organized neighborhood feeding for at least 15 but not more than 30 children per feeding group.
The order states implementation is for selected 575 nutritionally depressed 5th and 6th class municipalities and selected cities (including Olongapo and Angeles City).
The order fixes the feeding assistance structure as weekly feeding Monday to Friday or an average of 22 days a month.

Feeding assistance standards and duration

The order sets the standard rate of assistance at at least 50.00 per child per month.
The order requires that 4 lbs. is foreign food commodities under the assistance rate.
The order provides that feeding runs Monday to Friday per week or an average of 22 days a month.
The order limits the maximum feeding duration to 18 months.
The order requires a total feeding period structure that supports sustained growth monitoring and nutrition education activities.

Program organization: staff, sites, and participation

The order requires the LGU to assign a trained and committed Municipal Social Worker and Development Officer (MSWDO) to supervise program implementation.
The order requires the LGU to assign a trained mother leader/in-charge per center to manage the feeding.
The order requires use of a feeding center/multi-purpose center as the feeding venue.
If no feeding center exists, the order requires LGU and the community to ensure availability of the center and the needed equipment, utensils, and warehouses for commodities.
The order directs maximizing the involvement of GOs, POs, NGOs, and volunteers in implementation.

Strategies and core interventions

The order requires nutrition education for mothers of beneficiaries and encourages their participation in nutrition-related activities, including monthly growth monitoring.
The order requires encouraging backyard/community food production projects among beneficiary families.
The order requires access to livelihood opportunities and health protection support services, including deworming and immunization.
The order requires organized neighborhood feeding as the basic delivery strategy.
The order requires integration of nutrition education and parenting-related components to support long-term self-reliance.

Monitoring, evaluation, and reporting system

The order requires DSWD and CRS to monitor and audit program implementation in accordance with the guidelines’ policies and procedures.
The order requires sharing results of monitoring activities with both DSWD and CRS.
The order requires joint evaluation by DSWD and CRS at least once a year.
The order requires LGUs to submit monthly, quarterly and semi-annual reports on the Supplemental Feeding Program to DSWD Field Office, while DSWD Central Office submits to CRS.
The order provides specified report due dates and approval/consolidation flows under Reporting of Program Accomplishments.

Implementing details: planning to project operations

The order requires LGUs to conduct an analysis of the cause, nature, and extent of the nutrition problem through preparation of a situationer prior to program implementation.
The order requires planning information to cover: who are malnourished, how many, where, type of malnutrition, why it exists, and when intervention should start.
The order requires utilization of existing nutritional profiles as secondary data, and in areas with inadequate data, tapping the Barangay Nutrition Scholar and Barangay Health Worker for updated data.
The order requires the MSWDO to prepare a Community Nutrition Profile containing: location, demographic data, leading causes of infant mortality, economic information, education, health and sanitation (including OPT results, health and nutrition manpower, health and nutrition facilities, environmental sanitation), food production, road facilities, and existing nutrition program support (international, national, municipal).
The order requires use of recent weight survey as primary consideration in planning the nutrition program.
The order requires a community assembly where the MSWDO presents the Community Nutrition Profile and analysis of nutrition problems affecting children.
The order requires analysis, summarization into conclusions and recommendations, and packaging into a Barangay/Municipal Nutrition Action Plan submitted to the Municipal Development Council.
The order requires engaging people’s organizations for project management support.
The order requires involvement of the Municipal/Barangay Nutrition Committee to enrich activities and finalize the Nutrition Action Plan.
The order requires the MSWDO to initiate organization of a council or committee on nutrition if not functional in coordination with the Municipal Development Officer.
The order requires that where a Barangay Council for the protection of children exists, the MSWDO may tap this committee for management of the Supplemental Feeding Program.
The order requires re-weighing of preschool children to establish new weight records and requires inclusion only of moderately and severely (non-medical) underweight children (36 months to 72 months), with each child having a Growth Chart.
The order requires initial home visits to inform families of program objectives and activities and to establish rapport.
The order requires an organizational meeting in the presence of other service providers, covering the malnutrition extent, objectives, participating agencies’ programs and services, roles and participation including community and family contribution in cash/in-kind/services, community expectations, strategies for managing malnutrition, topics for nutrition education sessions and activities, identification of volunteers, and organization of SF parents committee.
The order requires volunteers, in consultation with the MSWDO, to prepare a project proposal for submission to the Municipal Development Council for approval, which becomes the basis for feeding implementation.
The order requires the project proposal to include: Project Title: Supplemental Feeding Program, Proponent, Location, Number of Target Beneficiaries (with attached list, weight and nutritional status), and Food Requirements (monthly/quarterly/yearly allocation), specifying CRS food commodities and LGU counterpart.
The order requires the MSWDO to prepare a Municipal Food Allocation Plan for approval of the consignee/Mayor.
The order requires coordination with Rural Health Units for deworming of child beneficiaries after project proposal approval.
The order requires coordination with other members of the Municipal Nutrition Committee to resolve issues and concerns related to project management.
The order requires mothers to prepare a 22 days cycle menu in consultation with a nutritionist, utilizing foreign donated and indigenous food.
The order requires parents’ cash contributions to purchase ingredients and needs for nutrition-related activities, and requires recording and reporting of contributions by the parents committee.
The order requires mothers’ cooking schedules to be presented to parents and posted in the venue (board/newsprint).

Food supply management and custody records

The order requires a food delivery flow using Annex A1 and requires adherence to guidelines for receiving, recording, and storing food commodities under Attachment 1.
The order requires maintenance of a Stock Register (SR) in the warehouse, to be posted for easy reference and updated every time food is received and issued, with balances always tallying with actual bags.
The order requires the SR to be the basis for physical count during monitoring and audit and for preparing the Monthly Stock and Distribution Report (MSDR).
The order requires allocation to feeding centers through a Requisition Issue Voucher (RIV), where each allocation to a feeding center shall not exceed the one month requirement.
The order requires food issuance to feeding centers either through delivery to the feeding center or pickup at the LGU warehouse, with center and deliveryman signatures and discrepancy notations.
The order requires Monthly Stock and Distribution Report (MSDR) preparation by the MSWDO within five (5) days of the following month, submission to DSWD/FO, and onward submission to CRS/Manila within five (5) days from receipt by DSWD/FO.
The order requires the feeding center to maintain a Food Consumption Report showing CSB received per RIV, cooking dates, number of children fed, and the local food and menu served.
The order requires daily attendance recording through a Daily Feeding Attendance Record (Annex A9) by the Center In-charge/mother leader to validate food utilization and augmentation-related spending.

Financial management and parent contributions

The order provides that program funds may come from: LGU funds for the feeding center (Augmentation Fund), parent contributions, and contributions from concerned families in the community.
The order requires the MSWDO and Center In-charge/mother leader to maintain records for generated funds and parent-contributed funds for transparency.
The order requires the MSWDO to coordinate with the Municipal Treasurer regarding recording and reporting of the Augmentation Fund.
The order provides that records for parent contributions excluding the Augmentation Fund support financial reporting to the donor agency through CRS reporting.
The order requires parents to be encouraged to contribute for operational expenses of the feeding center and requires recording of contributions by the Center In-charge/mother leader with contributor signatures.
The order requires accounting for non-beneficiary donations and sale of empty containers, if any, in the daily cash listing.
The order requires maintenance of a Daily Cash Position Report/Combined Cash Receipts and Cash Disbursements Book (Annex B2) showing receipts, expenses, and daily remaining cash balance that carries over to the next day.
The order requires use of a Cash Voucher (Annex B3) to record expenses for cooking ingredients, transportation, and other expenses, prepared by the treasurer of the parents committee.
The order requires use of a Center Record of Parents Contribution in Kind/Services (Annex B4) to record commodity details and peso value for in-kind contributions, including services rendered.

Nutritional impact measurement and center activities

The order requires monthly growth monitoring by maintaining a Record of Children’s Nutritional Status (Annex C1) designed for quarterly reporting and provision for three-month recording.
The order requires preparation of a Progress Weight Record (Annex C2) presenting each child’s initial and present nutritional status for quarter-long analysis.
The order requires a Barangay Consolidated Progress Weight Record (Annex C3) summarizing distribution by nutritional status for the quarter.
The order requires a Municipal/Regional Consolidated Progress Weight Record (Annex C4) to consolidate barangay data and analyze movement between nutritional statuses and prevalence of malnutrition within the feeding center population.
The order requires recording Mother’s Attendance in Education Sessions (Annex C5) to support preparation of the Quarterly Accomplishment Report.
The order requires recording Children’s Referral Record (Annex C6) for referrals to RHU or GO/NGO for medical or other services, including noting results of referrals as possible.

Reporting of accomplishments and required due dates

The order sets the Monthly Stock Distribution Report (MSDR) as prepared by the MSWDO and submitted to DSWD/FO, with due date 5th of the mo.
The order requires MSDR onward submission: CRS/Manila receives the MSDR by 10th of the mo.
The order requires Quarterly Progress Weight (Annex C2) to be prepared by the Center In-charge and submitted to the MSWDO, with due date 5th of the mo ff. the qtr.
The order requires Quarterly Barangay Consolidated Progress Weight Record (Annex C3) to be prepared by the Center In-charge and submitted to the MSWDO, with due date - do-.
The order requires Quarterly Municipal Consolidated Progress Weight Record (Annex C4) to be prepared by the MSWDO and submitted to DSWD/FO, with due date - do-.
The order requires the Quarterly Accomplishment Report (Annex D1) to be submitted as follows: prepared by the Center and the Center In-charge/M SWDO flow is described, with 10th of the mo ff the qtr for forwarding/consolidation to DSWD/FO and 15th of the mo ff the qtr for DSWD/FO to DSWD/CO.
The order requires Bi-Annual Accomplishment Reports (Annex D1) with due dates April 20 and October 20, covering October–March and April–September, respectively.
The order requires CRS/Manila/CRS/RO timelines for bi-annual reports: April 25 and October 25 for CRS/Manila/CRS/RO steps.
The order requires Semi-Annual Accomplishment Report (Annex D1) with due dates July 20 and January 20, covering January–June and July–December, respectively.
The order requires CRS/Manila/CRS/RO timelines for semi-annual reports: July 25 and January 25.

Monitoring, technical assistance, and responsibilities

The order requires Catholic Relief Services (CRS) to conduct regular monitoring down to the beneficiary level and to coordinate monitoring visits with DSWD.
The order requires DSWD Central Office (DSWD/CO), through Bureau of Assistance (BEA) staff, to monitor from the Field Office to municipal level, and in special cases monitor down to beneficiary level.
The order requires the DSWD Field Office (DSWD/FO), specifically SWS/RSDN, to monitor program implementation at municipal level and feeding center level.
The order requires the MSWDO to monitor program implementation at the feeding center level down to beneficiaries.
CRS’s duties include providing PL 480 food commodities in the form of corn soya blend.
CRS duties include monitoring, evaluating, and auditing the program in coordination with DSWD/CO.
DSWD’s duties include facilitating release of food commodities from the Bureau of Customs and other port authorities.
DSWD’s duties require ensuring delivery of commodities through a DSWD contracted forwarding company to the municipal level only.
DSWD must augment inland handling/hauling expenses of commodities from municipal level to feeding centers for 5th and 6th class municipalities subject to availability of funds.
DSWD must monitor implementation and provide technical assistance and conduct a joint evaluation with CRS on technical and financial aspects.
DSWD must submit semi-annual and bi-annual accomplishment reports to CRS.
The LGU’s duties require providing safe storage facilities and ensuring protection of commodities against theft, spoilage, and infestation.
The LGU must provide trained MSWDO supervision and a mother leader for the feeding center.
The LGU must provide augmentation support for purchase of local food, weighing scales, supplies and materials, and funds for training mother leaders/volunteers.
The LGU must provide feeding centers with utensils and equipment needed in feeding.
The LGU must submit required reports to DSWD/FO and adhere to the guideline provisions.
The LGU must designate three alternate responsible persons to receive food commodities with corresponding photos and specimen signatures submitted to DSWD/FO, then DSWD/CO, CRS/Manila, and forwarder.
The LGU must prepare and submit reimbursement claims to DSWD/FO with supporting documents including: Original Statement of Account; Requisition and Issue Vouchers; a Certification of Municipal Treasurer/Auditor that rates of charges are reasonable in the locality; names of trucking firm and/or individual rendering hauling services, description of services rendered, points of departure and destination; Official Receipt of Expenses; and Xerox/True copy of Bill of Lading/Delivery Receipt referencing the CAL number.
The LGU must replace with local food of equivalent monetary value any spoiled or lost commodities under its custody or responsibility.
Parents of beneficiaries must bring the child to the feeding center daily 5 days a week for feeding and monthly for growth monitoring.
Parents of beneficiaries must attend/participate in nutrition/health education sessions and related activities and must voluntarily contribute cash or kind and render services.
The Parents Committee must receive and account for cash and in-kind parent contributions and participate in nutrition/health related activities.
The Community must contribute cash or kind and render services, participate in nutrition/health activities, and attend community assemblies to discuss the program.

Penalty and compliance consequence

Non-compliance with the provisions of the guidelines is a basis for termination of the Supplemental Feeding Program.

Adoption and signatory

The order is adopted on 06 April 1994.
Corazon Alma G. De Leon signs as Secretary (SGD.).