ILOILO City – The Department of Education (DepEd) Region 6 is encouraging learners to buy their meals and snacks from school canteens rather than from vendors outside school premises, citing concerns over food safety, nutrition, and the increasing number of sidewalk and ambulant food sellers near schools.
School canteens are required to comply with government nutrition and food safety standards, making them a safer and healthier option for students during recess and lunch breaks, said Hernani Escullar Jr., DepEd-6 regional information officer.
“Learners are encouraged to buy their food from the DepEd school canteen because it provides a nutritious and well-balanced variety of meals. The canteen ensures that food is prepared safely and follows proper nutrition guidelines, helping students stay healthy, active, and ready to learn,” said Escullar.
School canteens help learners develop healthy eating habits, he added.
Escullar also said students may bring snacks and lunch prepared by their parents to ensure that the food they consume is healthy and nutritious.
The reminder comes as DepEd has observed the presence of numerous sidewalk kiosks and ambulant vendors operating outside school premises, particularly near school gates where food is readily accessible to students.
Escullar clarified, however, that DepEd has no authority to regulate these vendors.
“Its beyond sang school jurisdiction na ang pag-regulate sa ila. It’s the local government unit or the barangay na,” he said.
To help protect learners, schools coordinate with barangays to determine whether food vendors possess the necessary sanitary permits and health certificates.
DepEd Order No. 13, series of 2017 sets the Policy and Guidelines on Healthy Food and Beverage Choices in Schools and DepEd Offices.
The policy seeks to promote healthy eating habits among learners and DepEd personnel by ensuring the availability of nutritious and affordable food options and by establishing food standards for schools.
Under the order, school canteens must provide healthier food and beverage choices, classify food items according to local and cultural contexts, guide schools in evaluating food products, and regulate the sale and marketing of food and beverages within school premises.
Escullar said schools ensure that “Go, Grow and Glow” foods are available in canteens and that food preparation areas are clean and properly maintained. Canteen personnel, including cooks, cashiers and servers, are also required to have health cards.
He stressed that educating children on proper nutrition remains a shared responsibility of schools and parents.
At the same time, Escullar appealed to food vendors operating outside schools to ensure that the products they sell are clean and healthy, even if they are not directly governed by DepEd.
“Although they are not governed by DepEd, but siguruhon man nga ang gina-serve nga pagkaon clean and healthy,” he said./PN
