President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the nationwide rollout of the expanded School-Based Feeding Program, which aims to provide hot meals and milk to public school learners as part of government efforts to address hunger, malnutrition, and stunting.
Marcos, accompanied by Education Secretary Sonny Angara and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel, joined students in proper handwashing before they received meals of rice, tinola, and milk during the launch at Pulilan Central School in Bulacan.
The hot meals will vary daily based on dishes recommended by the National Nutrition Council.
The President said the SBFP has been expanded from a select number of Kindergarten to Grade 1 learners to all students from Kindergarten to Grade 1, as well as Grade 2 to Grade 6 learners categorized as wasted or severely wasted. These include children who may be underweight or severely underweight.
Marcos said the program is being implemented nationwide to ensure that no child goes to school on an empty stomach.
“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 (This is very significant because we know that one reason children cannot study well is hunger),” he said.
“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 (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.
The President said that aside from addressing malnutrition and stunting, the program also supports local farmers and traders, as supplies used for the feeding program are sourced locally.
During the event, the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture signed a cooperation agreement to implement the program.
The SBFP is implemented under Republic Act 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.