The 180-day Bangsamoro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon (BangUn) Program for children and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has started, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported on Tuesday.
“We have formally started the BangUn Program in the provinces of Basilan and Tawi-Tawi,” DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao said.
The agency revealed a total of 4,800 beneficiaries, composed of 4,300 children aged 6 months to 12 years old and 500 pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the municipalities of Lantawan and Tabuan-Lasa in Basilan are currently being monitored under the DSWD program.
Meanwhile, in Tawi-Tawi, 880 children and 120 PLW started to benefit from the nutrition program of the government with hot and nutritious meals for 180 days.
“This is not just a simple feeding program. Beneficiaries are also given referrals for health check-ups, deworming services, and micronutrient supplementation to improve their nutritional status and overall well-being,” Dumlao pointed out.
She further explained that the meals provided underwent careful planning and preparation in consideration of cultural preferences, dietary diversity, and the specific nutritional requirements of child beneficiaries and pregnant and lactating women (PLW) in the region.
