The Department of Social Welfare and Development aims to improve the nutritional status of more children this year as it expands its Supplementary Feeding Program from 120 days to 180 days.
DSWD Protective Services Bureau Director Alfrey Gulla said the expanded program, also known as Batang Nutri-Care, is part of the government’s continuing effort to address malnutrition, stunting and involuntary hunger among Filipino children.
Gulla said the agency is seeking to surpass last year’s performance, when 74.63 percent of undernourished children served under the program showed improved nutritional status.
“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 program will provide nutritious meals to children enrolled in local government unit-run Child Development Centers and Supervised Neighborhood Play groups nationwide.
Children aged 3 to 5 in Child Development Centers will receive hot meals, while children aged 2 to 4 under Supervised Neighborhood Play groups will be given indigenous or locally produced food.
The DSWD will also provide milk or fresh milk-based products in areas with high prevalence of undernourished children and poverty.
Gulla said the program has been allocated P8.5 billion this year and will cover 1,620 local government units, allowing the agency to reach more beneficiaries and provide longer feeding support.
The agency said the feeding program is complemented by nutrition and health education sessions under the Parent Effectiveness Service, which helps parents and caregivers promote proper nutrition, healthy eating habits and better child care practices 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 feeding program, serving more than 1.59 million children with fortified meals and providing milk to 180,265 undernourished children across 1,480 local government units.