Milk feeding program transfer eyed

THE National Dairy Authority (NDA) on Monday said that it is studying the transfer of the milk feeding program from the Department of Education (DepEd) to streamline milk procurements.

“That is what we are studying right now to return procurement of milk used in the milk feeding program (under our agency),” NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius T. Andaya said in an interview with reporters.

The milk feeding program is an interagency project aimed at delivering milk to students and providing income to local dairy farmers. The program is also in partnership with the Philippine Carabao Authority.

“If the DepEd transfers the program, it would probably be during the next school year. Then the NDA would handle the procurement for the milk feeding program, “ he added.

Mr. Andaya said that the NDA has already met with Education Secretary Juan Edgardo “Sonny” M. Angara with regards to transferring control of the program. 

This is in response to a letter by National Federation of Dairy Farmers and Stakeholders’ Association President Danilo V. Fausto which called for the return of the national milk feeding program to the NDA.

He said that delegating the program to the NDA would relieve DepEd staff and public school teachers of administrative duties and allow them to concentrate on their teaching mandate. — Adrian H. Halili