This article was published on ateneo.edu last October 20, 2015. For the online version, click HERE.

   
The Ateneo de Manila University, with support from the Philippine Province of the Society of Jesus and the Jesuit Residence, has partnered with Gawad Kalinga (GK) to implement a school feeding program in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Kusina ng Kalinga, GK’s flagship program, will prepare the meals for the feeding activities.
 
The collaboration was announced on October 17, 2015 at Ateneo’s Loyola Heights campus during GK’s Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing with the local government of Parang, Maguindanao and Department of Education Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (DepEd ARMM). The agreement entails the establishment of a central kitchen in Sarmiento West Elementary School in Parang.   At least 1432 school children will benefit from the feeding program.

 
Sitting from left to right: Mr. Usman Ibay III, Dr. John Magno, Mr. Luis Oquiñena, and Fr Bienvenido Nebres SJ. Standing from left to right: Fr Antonio Pabayo SJ, Sittie Pieron Du, Fr Jose Ramon Villarin SJ, Dr. Milwida Guevara, Fr Antonio Moreno SJ, Sittie Mariam Balahim, Mr. Mark Lawrence Cruz, Ms. Remedios Rivera and Atty. Jaime Hofileña.
 

The 3 Jesuit institutions will fund the school feeding in Mamasapano from November 2015- March 2016. For school year 2016-2017, the different Ateneo de Manila school units and the Ateneo community will be asked to help. A recommended mode is to ask each one to contribute one peso a day or its equivalent, following the initiative of Ateneo de Iloilo Blue Spoon School Feeding Program.

The partnership is a positive step in strengthening the school-based feeding program in ARMM.
 

Present at the MOA signing were DepEd ARMM Secretary Dr. John Magno;  DepEd ARMM Assistant Secretary for Operations  Sittie Mariam  Balahim;  DepEd ARMM Health and Nutrition Unit Chief Sittie Pieron Du; Parang Municipality Administrative Officer Usman Ibay III; GK Executive Director Luis Oquiñena; GK New Initiatives Head Mark Lawrence Cruz; Synergeia Foundation Inc. President Dr. Milwida M. Guevara; Ateneo de Manila University President Fr. Jose Ramon Villarin SJ; former university president Fr. Bienvenido Nebres SJ; Jesuit Provincial Fr. Antonio Moreno SJ; Vice President for Basic Education Fr. Antonio Pabayo SJ; Vice President for Social Development Atty. Jaime Hofileña; and  Ateneo Grade School  Assistant Headmaster for Formation Ms. Remedios Rivera. 
 

The map shows the scope of GK's Kusina ng Kalinga Feeding Program in the country.