The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will provide meals to more than 1.8 million children nationwide under its expanded 180-day Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP), which will begin on Monday, June 15.
Also known as Batang Nutri-Care, the program covers children enrolled in local government unit-run Child Development Centers (CDCs) and Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) groups. It provides nutritious hot meals to children aged 3 to 5, while those aged 2 to 4 under SNP will receive indigenous or locally produced food.
DSWD Protective Services Bureau Director Alfrey Gulla said this year’s implementation will reach more children than in 2025, following the increase in the program’s budget and the extension of feeding support from 120 days to 180 days.
“Mas maraming bata na ang maseserbisyohan ng ating supplementary feeding program ngayong taon kumpara sa 2025 dahil na rin sa pagtaas ng budget allocation ng programa at extension of support mula 120 days to 180 days. As of now, we allocated a total amount of 8.5 billion pesos na siyang mapapakinabangan ng mga bata sa 1,620 local government units sa buong bansa,” Gulla said on Wednesday, June 10.
Aside from hot meals, the program also provides milk or fresh milk-based products in areas with a high prevalence of undernourished children and poverty.
Gulla said 74.63 percent of undernourished children served in 2025 showed improved nutritional status. The DSWD aims to surpass this figure this year as part of the government’s broader campaign against stunting, malnutrition, and involuntary hunger.
“This achievement reflects the commitment of DSWD to fight malnutrition and hunger na maaaring maranasan ng maraming batang Pilipino. Patunay din ito na sumusunod ang DSWD sa Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition and the Philippine Development Plan 2023–2028 na ma-improve ang pangangatawan at kalusugan ng mga Pilipino,” Gulla said.
The DSWD also conducts nutrition and health education sessions through the Parent Effectiveness Service to help parents and caregivers promote healthy eating habits and proper nutrition at home.
“Alinsunod po sa kautusan ng ating Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na labanan ang malnutrisyon, stunting, at maging ang involuntary hunger sa bansa, patuloy po ang DSWD sa pagbibigay ng programa sa mga bata at sa iba pang vulnerable sectors, na siyang makatutulong para sila ay maging malusog, at maging produktibong miyembro ng ating komunidad,” Gulla said.
In 2025, the DSWD spent P5.7 billion for the SFP, serving more than 1.59 million children with fortified meals and distributing milk to 180,265 undernourished children across 1,480 LGUs nationwide.