House Senior Deputy Minority Leader and Mamamayang Liberal Party-list Rep. Leila de Lima has filed a measure seeking to establish a comprehensive free breakfast program for all public school children, from daycare to Grade 12, while providing sustainable support to local farmers and fisherfolk.
House Bill No. 8881, or the proposed Free Breakfast Program and Sustainable Agriculture Act, fully adopts Senate Bill No. 219 filed by Senator Francis Pangilinan. The measure seeks to provide public school learners with nutritious and fortified breakfast meals that follow national dietary and nutritional guidelines set by the Department of Health and the National Nutrition Council.
The bill also mandates the direct procurement of at least 50 percent of the produce needed for the school feeding program from local farmers and fisherfolk. This aims to ensure that learners receive fresh and quality food while advancing the objectives of Republic Act No. 11321, or the Sagip Saka Act.
Citing recent data, De Lima raised concern over the alarming decline in student proficiency in the country, warning that failure to address the problem could affect the quality of future Filipino learners and workers, and pose long-term risks to the country’s human resource development and economic future.
“Clearly, there is a need for urgent government intervention to address this pressing issue, one of which is the implementation of a more comprehensive school feeding program to sustainably support the needs of Filipino school children on health, nutrition, and education,” De Lima said.
A recent study by the Second Congressional Commission on Education found that by the end of School Year 2024–2025, only 30.5 percent of Grade 3 learners were proficient in key subjects, dropping to 0.40 percent by Grade 12.
The same EDCOM 2 study showed that 48.76 percent of learners were not reading at grade level by Grade 3, with the deficit worsening over time.
The United Nations Children’s Fund also previously warned of a widespread learning crisis in the country, noting that a majority of Filipino students are falling behind in reading and mathematics.
De Lima also cited data from the World Food Programme, which noted that at least 1.7 million public school children in the Philippines remain malnourished, contributing to poor academic performance nationwide.
To address this, HB 8881 seeks to prioritize the health and nutritional well-being of public school children, recognizing that proper nutrition is crucial to their cognitive development, academic performance, and overall growth.
Under the proposed measure, a nutritionist will form part of the free breakfast program and will be tasked with educating students, parents, and communities on healthy eating habits, proper nutrition, the benefits of fortified meals, and sustainable food consumption.
“Sa hinaharap nating krisis ngayon, mas bumigat pa ang hamon sa pagpapaaral sa ating mga anak at sa pagsiguro sa kita ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Sa pamamagitan ng panukalang batas na ito, matutugunan ng Estado hindi lang ang pangangailangan sa kalusugan, nutrisyon at edukasyon ng kabataan, kundi pati na ang dagdag na suporta para sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” De Lima said.
“Along with Senator Kiko, we call on our colleagues in Congress for the swift passage of this measure. There is no doubt: this is the kind of program where our funds and resources should also be directed, as it addresses not only current challenges but also potential future risks by empowering Filipino students and the agriculture sector,” she added.