DepEd, firm rekindle milk drinking habit in school kids

EDUCATION Undersecretary Dina Ocampo (secpnd from left) joins (from left) Mary Lindbert International CEO Erlinda Legaspi, Africa, child actress and co-endorser Mutya Orquia, Century Pacific Food Inc. president and CEO Christopher Po, actor and brand co-endorser Richard Yap in turning over the workbook to two schoolchildren, which is one of the components of the “Me and My Milk” advocacy program. photo by Romy Homillada

The Department of Education recently teamed up with the maker of Birch Tree Fortified powdered milk to kick off a campaign that would remind schoolchildren and their parents the benefit of drinking a glass of milk every day.

Edwin Africa, vice president and general manager of Snow Mountain Dairy Corp. that makes the powered milk brand, said: “Education is not just feeding the minds but also feeding a strong healthy body. With this campaign, we would like to remind the school kids and their parents why milk is good for them. Sadly, here in the Philippines, we fall under the required daily consumption of milk compared with our Asian neighbors. This is why we decided to launch this campaign so we could encourage school kids not just to drink their milk but also eat healthy foods. We thank the DepEd who helped us choose which public schools to visit first.”

‘Me and My Milk’

The advocacy program called “Me and My Milk” will provide free milk drink to children from Kindergarten to Grade 2 as well as supply them with workbooks that discuss proper nutrition and the benefits of drinking milk.

Starting in September, it will cover select public schools in the National Capital Region, Central Luzon, Calabarzon and the Ilocos Region.

During the visit and distribution of workbooks, DepEd and Birch Tree Fortified representatives will also conduct lectures for parents and teachers.

“By the end of this campaign in April next year, we expect to treat some 320,000 school kids with this great tasting and nutritious milk and hopefully convince them and their parents to continue drinking milk for the rest of their lives,” said Africa.

Added Leah Macalincag, senior product manager of Birch Tree milk brands: “The ‘Me and My Milk’ hopes to make young school kids all over the Philippines to start drinking their milk. We believe that with Birch Tree Fortified’s unique taste, even those who don’t like milk will go for it. Starting a milk drinking habit as a child can lead to a lifetime of health benefits.”

According to Macalincag, cow’s milk contains large amounts of essential nutrients and has rightly been recognized as nature’s single most complete food, an outstanding source of calcium and phosphorus for bones and teeth, contains significant amounts of vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 as well as B12.

“Birch Tree Fortified is the only one in the market today that contains FibroBoost, a unique formulation that contains inulin fiber, a natural soluble dietary fiber proven to help the body absorb up to 18 percent more calcium,” said Macalincag.

In addition to calcium, Macalincag said milk also contains potassium, magnesium, phosphorous, protein and several important minerals. “It’s a similar mix of building blocks that makes up our bones. A 2011 study that modeled data from the self-reported diets of 16,000 Americans found that people who take in little dairy, even if they incorporated substitutes like calcium-fortified soy milk, took in lower levels of all sorts of nutrients. Indeed, dozens and dozens of studies have shown that adults who get less than two-thirds of the recommended intake of calcium are technically deficient in four to six other key nutrients. Drinking milk every day should solve this.”