by Jemin B. Guillermo

Roxas City (6 August) -- The Department of Education (DepEd) in Capiz is set to launch the Gulayan sa Paaralan project next week.

Education Supervisor Wilfredo Reoyo disclosed that the DepEd Capiz Division will launch on August 15 said project in Angub Elementary School in Cuartero, Capiz with top officials from the Department of Agriculture, provincial government of Capiz and DepEd.

Reoyo added that they will showcase the integrated Gulayan project of said school for replication in other public schools in the province.

To highlight said activity, the DA Regional Office will do a ceremonial turn over of seeds and fertilizers for public elementary schools in Capiz, he said.

Reoyo pointed out that all elementary schools in 13 towns of the province that are recipients of President Arroyo's Food-for-School program, will each be given one sack of inorganic fertilizer and "pakbit" seeds.

On the other hand, the elementary schools in the three towns, namely, Tapaz, Pontevedra and Dumarao will each receive the "pakbit" seeds from the DA.

The "pakbit" seeds include string beans, okra, ampalaya, eggplant and squash, among others, he said.

Aside from the "pakbit" seeds, the DepEd here has also required all schools in the province to plant malunggay as part of their gulayan project.

Recently, the DepEd has been promoting malunggay derivatives to supplement President Arroyo's Healthy Start Child Nutrition Feeding Program.

The DepEd's move is in response to the President's directive to step up efforts to combat hunger and malnutrition in the country.

Said department, which is the lead agency to implement the Chief Executive's food-for-school program and the Gulayan sa Paaralan project, has recently launched the Healthy Start Child Nutrition Program (HSCNP).