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BUTUAN CITY, August 26, 2025– 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗮 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗜𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗖. 𝗔𝘀𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗰 𝗙𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟮 𝘁𝗼 𝟭𝟱, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, 𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗕𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗡𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗽𝗶𝘁, 𝗔𝗴𝘂𝘀𝗮𝗻 𝗱𝗲𝗹 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗲. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗻𝘀, 𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀.

Organized by the Education Support Services Division (ESSD) under the Disaster Preparedness Response Program (DPRP) and the School-Based Feeding Program led by Chief Edmund D. Mendoza, PhD, in collaboration with the Health and Nutrition Unit under Rena Grace G. Tul-id, Regional Nutritionist-Dietitian II, this four-day training aimed to equip school heads, canteen managers, Project Development Officers, and Administrative Officers from Butuan City, Dinagat Islands, Siargao, Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Tandag City, with essential knowledge and skills in proper food handling, preparation, storage, and sanitation to protect learners’ health, and for schools to proactively prevent foodborne illnesses and maintain a safe, hygienic food service.

Key sessions were facilitated by DOST Caraga Food Safety Team members Jennifer J. Dejarme and Rhea J. Santos, covering topics such as handwashing as the first line of defense against diseases, identifying food safety hazards, good manufacturing practices (GMPs), cross-contamination, personal hygiene, and sanitation. Technical assistance was provided by Ms. Necel Keren S. Paglinawan to ensure seamless delivery of the presentations.

Rena G. Tul-id presented the policy frameworks governing school canteen operations, highlighting DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2007 (Revised Implementing Guidelines on the Operation and Management of School Canteens in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools) and DepEd Order No. 13, s. 2017 (Policy and Guidelines on Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools and in DepEd Offices). She also addressed participants’ questions and guided them on how these policies can be effectively applied in the school setting.

Following Tul-id’s presentation, Dr. Anna Liza A. Lerio, Regional WinS Focal Person, discussed the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene in Schools (WinS) Program. She outlined its daily core requirements such as group handwashing with soap, provision of sex-segregated toilets, and access to safe drinking water, and explained the Three-Star Approach framework for school compliance. Lerio further underscored that WinS and food safety are closely connected, emphasizing that safe canteen operations, nutrition programs, and hygiene education are integral components to fostering healthy school environment.

The training concluded with a recognition ceremony for speakers and special awards for participants with the highest scores in the pre-test and post-test activities.

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.

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