MANILA – More than 3 million students from kindergarten to sixth grade received food and milk under the government’s school-based feeding program (SBFP) in 2020, which was implemented despite the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Education (DepEd) said Monday.

Some 3.5 million pupils received nutritious food products under the SBFP, of which 3.1 million also received milk, according to the DepEd.

Last year, government allotted P5.97 billion for the SBFP, which was implemented starting August 2020, Education Undersecretary Alain Pascua said.

Parents picked up the food products and milk from the schools, which were closed due to the health crisis, on designated days and time, Pascua explained.

In other areas, school personnel delivered the food products and milk to the homes of beneficiaries, or coordinated with barangay officials or non-government organization to help in the distribution, he said.

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Pascua added that the government gave DepEd P6 billion to implement the feeding program for the next school year.

The SBFP aims to address hunger among learners as well as contribute to their nutrition and help boost their immune system.