President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the nationwide rollout of the expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), a government initiative aimed at providing hot meals and milk to public school learners to help address hunger, malnutrition, and stunting.
The launch was held at Pulilan Central School in Bulacan, where Marcos was joined by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel. The President also led students in proper handwashing before they were served rice, tinola, and milk.
The hot meals to be served under the program will vary daily based on dishes recommended by the National Nutrition Council.
Marcos said the SBFP has been expanded from selected Kindergarten to Grade 1 learners to all students from Kindergarten to Grade 1. It will also cover Grade 2 to Grade 6 learners who are classified as wasted or severely wasted, including those who may be underweight or severely underweight.
The President said the nationwide implementation is meant to ensure that children no longer have to attend classes while hungry.
“Ito’y napakalaking bagay para sa akin dahil alam naman natin na minsan ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit hindi makapag-aral nang maigi ang kabataan ay kulang sa pagkain,” Marcos said.
“This is very significant because we know that one reason children cannot study well is hunger,” he added.
Marcos said the government wants to remove food insecurity as a barrier to learning.
“Kaya tinanggal na natin ‘yang problema na ‘yan para tiyak tayo na lahat ng pupunta sa eskwelahan ay hindi na iintindihin ang kanilang kakainin. Ang pamahalaan na ang tutulong at ang pamahalaan na ang magpapakain,” he said.
“We have removed that problem so we can be sure that every child going to school no longer has to worry about what to eat. The government will provide the assistance and the meals,” he added.
Aside from helping address malnutrition and stunting, Marcos said the program will also benefit local farmers and traders, as supplies for the feeding program will be sourced locally.
During the event, the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture signed a cooperation agreement for the program’s implementation.
The SBFP is carried out under Republic Act 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.