Gov't expands school feeding program to curb child stunting

MANILA, Philippines — Amid rising child stunting rates, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Wednesday rolled out the expanded School-Based Feeding Program at a school in Bulacan.

The program at Pulilan Central School provides meals for Kindergarten and Grade 1 students, as well as nutrition support for undernourished students in Grades 2 to 6.

In a statement on Wednesday, Angara said the program serves as a long-term response to rising child stunting, citing data from the Department of Science and Technology–Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

Article continues after this advertisement

The findings showed that stunting among children under five rose to 25.3 percent, up 1.7 percentage points from 2023, marking the country’s first increase in child stunting in a decade.

FEATURED STORIES

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

NEWSINFO

READ: Study: 1 in 4 Filipino kids under age 5 stunted

“Every percentage point represents a Filipino child whose potential is being compromised,” Angara said.

“This expanded feeding program is our decisive commitment to reversing these numbers and ensuring that our learners have the foundation they need to thrive in the classroom and in life,” he added.

During the event, Angara and Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed a Joint Administrative Order to strengthen the long-term implementation of the program.

Article continues after this advertisement

The agreement formalizes collaboration between the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture.

The National Dairy Authority and the Philippine Carabao Center support the School-Based Feeding Program’s milk-feeding component.

Article continues after this advertisement

It also establishes guidelines for procurement, quality assurance, delivery, and monitoring to ensure a sustainable supply of locally sourced milk.

The program was launched as the country marks Nutrition Month this July.

Angara also distributed school bags and storybooks to Grade 1 learners to support literacy and learning recovery.

Funding for the school bags and learning materials came from the Office of the President, while partner publishers donated the storybooks and DepEd covered the printing costs.

The expanded program will benefit 775 learners at Pulilan Central School, including all 294 Kindergarten pupils, 369 Grade 1 students, and acutely malnourished learners in Grades 2 to 6.

Your subscription could not be saved. Please try again.

Your subscription has been successful.

The initiative supports the implementation of Republic Act No. 11037, which aims to improve the health, nutrition, and academic performance of Filipino students. /mcm