In Roxas National High School in Tapaz, Capiz, students need to walk eight kilometers just to reach the capital where they can buy food such as breads. Though there is a mode of transportation available, one ride of a habal-habal already costs PHP200.00.
But this is about to change as Roxas National High School, together with Malonoy National High School in Dao, Capiz, is one of the new recipients of Operation Sagip’s Nutri-Pan de Kapamilya Bakery. In partnership with Nutrition Center of the Philippines and San Miguel Mills, establishing Nutri-Pan school-based bakeries aim to serve fortified breads to the students and provide livelihood to the schools to augment in their budget.
“Itong Nutri-Pan project, na conceptualize siya based sa previous studies ng NCP. Iyong bread na fortified ng Vitamin A and Iron na pinakain sa students for a certain time, nakitang na-reduce iyong anemia rate, na-reduce iyong Vitamin A deficiency rate nila,” she explained. (Here in the Philippines, we already have the Mandatory Food Fortification Law that states that the flour should be fortified. The Nutri-Pan project was conceptualized based on the previous studies conducted by NCP. When the breads fortified with Vitamin A and Iron were given to students, study showed their Vitamin A deficiency rate as well as anemia rate were reduced.)
Aside from receiving a PHP20,000.00 capital, baking equipment, and initial ingredients such as San Miguel Mill’s fortified flour, the schools also had a two-day training that focused on: 1) the importance of fortified breads; 2) how to bake different kinds of breads from Pinoy favorites like pandesal, cheese breads, and Spanish breads to floss buns, brownies, and San Miguel Mills’ original recipe called Japanese Salad Bread and; 3) financial management facilitated by NCP. San Miguel Mills provided a master baker to teach teachers and assigned bakers of the two schools.
Aside from receiving a PHP20,000.00 capital, baking equipment, and initial ingredients such as San Miguel Mill’s fortified flour, the schools also had a two-day training that focused on the importance of fortified breads and financial management facilitated by NCP and how to bake different kinds of breads from Pinoy favorites like pandesal, cheese breads, and Spanish breads to floss buns, brownies, and San Miguel Mills’ original recipe called Japanese Salad Bread. San Miguel Mills provided a master baker to teach teachers and assigned bakers of the two schools.
“We provided the quality ingredients and technical know-how to at least share the basic baking techniques to the new bakers,” Teofanes Lucas, San Miguel Mills’ Area Manager for Visayas and Mindanao articulated. “It is a pleasure for us to be part of the project because we are able to reach out (communities) regardless of how big or small the market is.”
Hadji Parami (right) with San Miguel Mills’ Master Baker and other teacher participants mold the flour to the desired shapes of bread they are about to cook.
For Hadji Parami, a teacher from Roxas NHS, the project is very important for their school especially that there are no bakeries available in their area. “Napakahalaga po ng project na ito kasi ang mga tao sa amin, hindi pa alam kung ano ang tinatawag na bakery. Matuturuan din namin ang aming mga estudyante. Dagdag kaalaman din ito kung paano gumawa ng mga tinapay sa mga batang Indigenous People learner na bumababa pa rin mula sa bundok para lang makapag-aral,” he said. (The project is very important for us because the people in our area do not know what a bakery is. We can also teach our students how to make breads. It is an additional knowledge to our Indigenous People learners who go down from the mountains just to study.)
Aside from the students no longer need to travel too far just to find something to eat inside the school, Jocelyn Garbosa, the Teacher-in-Charge of Roxas NHS said that the project was at the right timing. “Tamang-tama po ang pagkakabigay sa amin ng project na ito dahil may DepEd order nang hindi pwede magbenta ng junkfood at softdrinks sa canteen. Fortified breads na ang kanilang kakainin. Hindi na mahihirapan ang mga bata maghagilap ng makakain,” she enthused. (With the DepEd order limiting junk food and sodas in school canteens, the Nutri-Pan project was given at the right time. They will be having fortified breads. Our students will no longer have a hard time to look for food.)
Likewise, Larry Castillo, Principal of Malonoy NHS plans to implement different projects using the income they will get from the bakery.
“Makakapaghanap tayo ng karagdagang pondo para sa development ng ating paaralan. Pwede natin itong ilaan para mabigyan ng extra school supplies ang mga estudyante at mga feeding program para sa kanila lalo na ang mga bata na nasa severely-wasted category,” he expressed. (The project will help us fund different development projects for our school. We can use it to give extra school supplies to the students or conduct a feeding program especially to our students who are severely-wasted.)
One of Operation Sagip’s successful school-based Nutri Pan de Kapamilya Bakeries is in Lagro Elementary School. The income of this bakery is divided into three. Sixty-two point five percent (62.5%) is allotted for school’s share, 25% is for the maintenance and operations of the bakery, while 12.5% is dedicated to the school’s feeding program. From the school’s share, Lagro ES already funded school beautification projects such as landscaping and their Gulayan sa Paaralan. They also bought a dough roller as an additional equipment for the bakery. A total of 40 students benefit from the feeding program subsidized by Nutri Pan.
Other recipient schools that have senior high school programs especially with Bread and Pastry track benefit from the project. The equipment given can be used by the students for practice just like in Don Felix Serra NHS in Iloilo. Their Nutri Pan Teacher-in-Charge encourages the students to apply the things they learn from the track and even lets them use their bakery. The students also get a portion of the sales and sometimes, they are given incentives with their grades.
Furthermore, the Nutri Pan project prepares them for their assessment in passing and getting their National Certificate II level from Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).
Aside from school based-bakeries, Operation Sagip also has community-based ones just like in Salcedo, Eastern Samar managed by Asgad Bakers’ Association and in San Luis, Aurora which is managed by Sr. Nonong’s Rural Improvement Club (RIC).
Since 2010, Operation Sagip has established 29 Nurti-Pan de Kapamilya Bakeries in 18 calamity-stricken areas. All of these were funded by donations given to the program.
Operation Sagip has been known for its immediate relief operations during calamities and rehabilitation efforts such as classroom building, water facility construction, school supplies distribution, and establishing bakeries.