LA Trinidad, Benguet?Thousands of Cordillera students would help ease the yearend glut in the province?s vegetable production when they are served vegetable-enriched noodles starting this month.

The Benguet Vegetable Processing Center (BVPC) at the Benguet State University (BSU) here is working overtime to produce 322,322 packs of vegetable noodles to be distributed to preschool and Grade 1 pupils in Apayao, Kalinga and Abra.

?The primary targets of the feeding program are the malnourished children,? Dr. Violeta Salda, BVPC project director, said.

The noodles, each weighing 55 grams, would be given free to 24,794 pupils from the three provinces for 13 days this month, she said.

The noodle production launched the Department of Education?s Healthy Start Program in the region, which aimed to keep poor children in school and improve their health.

Dr. Josefina Tamondong, DepEd regional director, and Dr. Rogelio Colting, BSU president, signed the P3.14-million supply agreement on Dec. 16. Each pack costs P10.

In May, DepEd rescinded a similar supply contract with Jeverps Manufacturing Corp. after the company was accused of manufacturing overpriced and substandard noodles.

Education Secretary Jesli Lapus said he had to cancel the procurement because the nutrition needs of malnourished students and the objectives of the school feeding program could not be compromised.

Salda said the noodles that the BVPC would produce are nutritious and would comply with the dietary requirements set by DepEd.

The noodles would be made from vegetables grown in the province?carrot, spinach, broccoli, potato, cabbage, sweet potato, sayote, celery and other indigenous crops.

?They are tasty and packed nicely to [capture the] children?s [interest],? she said.

Salda said the feeding program would boost the farmers? income since the processing of the noodles would require volumes of vegetables and provide an alternative market for local vegetables.

She said this would also minimize postharvest losses and transport costs. Delmar Cariño, Inquirer Northern Luzon