CEBU CITY, PHILIPPINES — In a bid to address hunger among young learners, Cebu Governor Pamela Baricuatro will tap her own foundation, SimplyShare Foundation Inc., as a key partner in rolling out a feeding program for kindergarten and grade school students across Cebu.
The proposed program aims to provide both breakfast and lunch to schoolchildren once classes resume, a move envisioned to expand the province’s nutrition initiative and help improve the nutrition of schoolchildren.
Baricuatro said the initiative will adopt a multi-sector approach, bringing together government resources, private donors, and non-government organizations.
“Ang food banking, it addresses three things; hunger, waste, and environment,” Baricuatro said.
Under the plan, the Cebu Provincial Government will provide rice for the meals, while SimplyShare will handle donated food items, particularly viands.
“Naay mag donate namo og sud-an which will be handled by SimplyShare and then ang Cebu Province ang sa rice. Mao na nag for lunch,” Baricuatro explained.
She added that the non-government organization Rise Against Hunger will take charge of providing breakfast for the students.
“At least ang mga bata makakaon silag breakfast and lunch,” she said.
The governor noted that the goal is to ensure that children receive complete meals daily, comprising both protein and rice.
Baricuatro also identified private sector partners supporting the initiative, including Century Pacific, which has committed to supplying food items.
These donations will be stored and managed at SimplyShare’s warehouse, which she assured is compliant with food safety standards.
“Ari nila ibutang sa warehouse sa Simply Share because we are clean and then ang control gud namo. Walay mga corruption diri,” Baricuatro said.
She added that her experience with feeding programs through the foundation gives her confidence in implementing the initiative.
Baricuatro contrasted the proposed system with past practices, where schools were left to manage food assistance independently.
“Unlike in the past nga tagaan rag bugas ang mga skwelahan and then you’re on your own,” she said.
She stressed that the new approach focuses on building partnerships to sustain the program.
“But at least now we would be able to look for partners to help the province,” she added.
The governor also noted that SimplyShare has been contributing to disaster response efforts by providing food sourced through its network.
However, the integration of SimplyShare into the province’s school-based feeding program has yet to be finalized, as Provincial Public Health Consultant Dr. Nicole Elisse Catalan said that the partnership still needs formalization.
“Amoa pa syang i-formalize. They made a visit two weeks ago man siguro to sa province,” she said.
She added that approval from the Sangguniang Panlalawigan is still required before the partnership can proceed.
SimplyShare, founded by Baricuatro in 2015, operates as a food bank that rescues surplus food from restaurants, hotels, retailers, and farms and redistributes it to communities in need.
According to its representatives, the organization has developed a food rescue system over the past three years, collecting near-expiry but still safe food products and turning them into meals for beneficiaries.
These beneficiaries include homeless individuals, shelters, women and children, persons with disabilities, low-income groups, remote communities, orphanages, and senior centers.
The group also provides transparency to donors by submitting reports on how and where the donated food is distributed.
Despite the planned expansion, challenges remain in addressing malnutrition across the province.
Catalan said consistency in advocacy and implementation is a key issue.
“Ang consistency man gud kung kinsa ang mu-advocate ana. Kinsa ang mag pamugasay,” she said, stressing the need for sustained leadership.
She added that successful feeding programs often involve parents and communities, particularly in food preparation for sustainability.
While data shows a decrease in malnutrition prevalence, she noted that the overall number of affected individuals remains high.
“Tinuod nga niubos but because of magnitude, ang number, taas gihapon kaayo ta,” she said, adding that more efforts are needed to address the issue.
She emphasized that local government units must take the lead in prioritizing nutrition programs, especially in areas with persistently high malnutrition rates.
| Written by Jonnavie Villa/IHM
