School Canteen: On-Guard

Post date: Apr 4, 2014 6:50:18 AM

By: Dennielyn S. Izon

“Open Happiness” a famous tag line of leading soft drinks bottling company that attracts everyone of us to drink the product which truly made us quench our thirst.

DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2007 known as the Revised Implementing Guidelines on the Operation and Management of School Canteens in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools under 4.5 Policy Statements stated that “The sale of carbonated drinks, sugar-based synthetic or artificially flavored juices, junk foods and any food product that may be detrimental to the child’s health and that do not bear the Sangkap Pinoy seal and/or did not pass BFAD approval is prohibited.”

School canteens are guided with this department order to ensure the healthy mind and body of school children hence; prohibiting the selling of carbonated drinks is strictly complied in every school. Instead, native Filipino merienda should be served during snack time or recess such as buko juice, sago’t gulaman, melon juice or any fruit in season is better than soft drinks; as well as turon (saging saba), camote-cue, banana-cue, nilagang mani, and nilagang mais. These foods will help school children to grow and will keep them from eating artificially flavored snacks.

Thus, DepEd and DOH work hand in hand in monitoring school canteens all over the country regularly.