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Rhealyn, a 4-year-old little girl sat beside her mother. Her eyes in awe wandered around, puzzled by what was happening around her. Excitement was evident as she looked at her mom, all she wanted that day were the colorful balloon decorations on stage, not knowing her life will change after 120 days.
Rhealyn is among the thirty-three (33) children identified by the Provincial Health Office (PHO) of Davao de Oro as the beneficiary of the Adopt-A-Child Program of the provincial government. Anchored on the “People Agenda” of Governor Tyron Uy’s 4Ps Plus blueprint in governance, the program is among the people-centered, end hunger chain programs which focus on the welfare of the people, especially children.
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The Adopt-A-Child Program officially launched way back in 2008, during the time of former governor, now Senior Board Member Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy and continues in the present. The program targets children beneficiaries, who are wasted, severely wasted, and severely underweight who will undergo rehabilitation for a period of one-hundred twenty (120) days.
For the whole duration of the program, employees of the provincial government will sponsor the need of every child beneficiary through the provision of goods, services, and other nutrition interventions. Through the program, the existing nutrition programs of the government will be amplified, ending hunger and malnutrition one step at a time.
This year, the municipality of Laak is the chosen beneficiary of the program after having a great impact in Mabini, Montevista, Mawab, and Maco in the past few years.
On April 27, 2022, employees of PLGU-Davao de Oro converged at Laak Central Elementary school to officially start the quest to bring significant changes in the life of Rhealyn and the other thirty-two (32) children. A free-medical check-up is also conducted on the same day.
Hunger and malnutrition are silent killers, it impairs children, and lessen their school productivity, grabbing their future away from them. Plenty of ways exist to counter this great, yet solvable problem, but in Davao de Oro, it's innovative governance and Bayanihan ways will make the job done.
(JA PAO-IPRD, photos by G. Mativo)
