President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Wednesday spearheaded the launch of the nationwide expansion of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) at Pulilan Central School, marking a decisive shift in the administration’s efforts to tackle classroom hunger and the prevalence of child malnutrition.
President Marcos and Secretary Angara led the feeding activity, serving warm, nutritious meals and milk to the learners, and also visited the local partner booths showcasing products that support the SBFP.
“Alam naman natin na kung minsan ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit hindi makapag-aral nang mabuti ang mga kabataan ay kulang sa pagkain. Kaya tinanggal na natin ang problema na iyan… Ang pamahalaan na ang tutulong, ang pamahalaan na ang magpapakain,” President Marcos said.
The revamped SBFP introduces universal feeding for all Kindergarten and Grade 1 public school learners. This is complemented by targeted nutritional support for undernourished learners in Grades 2 through 6, ensuring that the most vulnerable learners receive the critical resources needed to thrive academically.
Secretary Angara emphasized that the program is not merely a supplemental feeding initiative but a structural response to the latest findings of the Department of Science and Technology – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) showing that stunting among under-five children has reached 25.3%, representing a 1.7% increase from 2023 – the first rise in the country’s stunting rate in a decade.
“Every percentage point represents a Filipino child whose potential is being compromised. 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,” Angara said.
Simultaneous regional kick-off events were conducted nationwide to signal the program’s extensive rollout.
During the kick-off event in Bulacan, Secretary Angara and Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. formalized a Joint Administrative Order (JAO) to ensure the program’s long-term sustainability.
The JAO institutionalizes the partnership between DepEd and the DA, leveraging the expertise of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) and the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) to implement the Milk Feeding component of the SBFP. This framework streamlines critical operations—from procurement and quality assurance to delivery and evaluation—to ensure the sustainable provision of locally sourced milk for Filipino learners.
The SBFP kick-off coincides with the national observance of Nutrition Month this July.
To further support the learners’ holistic development, Angara also distributed school bags and educational storybooks to Grade 1 learners, underscoring the Department’s concurrent focus on learning recovery and reading proficiency.
The Office of the President provided the funding for the school bags and essential learning materials, while partner publishing houses donated the storybook titles, with DepEd covering all printing and reproduction expenses.
Pulilan Central School caters to 775 total beneficiaries, covering all 294 Kindergarteners and 369 Grade 1 learners alongside acutely malnourished (wasted and severely wasted) learners from Grade 2 to 6.
This scaled-up intervention aligns with Republic Act No. 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, ensuring the health, well-being, and academic success of Filipino learners.
