Marilyn Cahatol

Kindergarten students attend classes inside the Jose Magsaysay Elementary School in Makati City on March 30, 2022. A total of 117 students went to this particular school physically as the local government of Makati resumed its face-to-face classes last Monday in 12 public schools for the first time since the start of the COVID19 pandemic. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News

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ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/175308740984720220330-covid-makati-school-in-person-class-GC-2204.jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Kindergarten students attend classes inside the Jose Magsaysay Elementary School in Makati City on March 30, 2022. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News /file</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — All kindergarten students from public schools will receive free daily meals through the Department of Education’s expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFD).</p><p>The program, which provides meals for undernourished students, has been expanded to include all students in kindergarten “to combat early childhood malnutrition.”</p><p>“Kapag may sapat na nutrisyon ang mga bata, mas madali silang matuto. Hindi natin kailangan hintayin pang magutom o magkasakit sila bago kumilos,” Education Secretary Sonny Angara said.</p><p>The Food and Nutrition Research Institute, in 2021, <a href="https://psa.gov.ph/sites/default/files/phdsd/Health%20and%20Nutrition%202024%20Fact%20Sheet%20on%20Women%20and%20Men_0.pdf">recorded </a>that 18.1% of girls aged 0 to 5 and 15.8% of boys of the same age group are malnourished.</p><p>Meanwhile, malnutrition is also present in 19.2% of girls aged 5 to 10, and 22.2% of boys of the same age group.  </p><p>Around 3.4 million kindergarten and severely wasted and wasted grade 1-6 learners will receive the meals through the program, said DepEd.</p><p>The agency added that P14 billion budget was proposed for the program in 2026.</p><p>“Bawat magulang, school officials, LGUs, at barangay health worker ay may papel para siguraduhing hindi lang basta nakakakain ang mga bata, kundi talagang nabubusog, inaalagaan, at nabibigyan ng lakas para umunlad,” said Angara.</p><p>The education department reported that the number of severely wasted kindergarten children was reduced from 113,451 to 47,281 through SBFD, improving energy levels, class participation, weight gain, and overall health.</p><p>The rate of undernourishment among Kinder learners also fell by 80% in Region II and XI, the agency added.  </p><p>DepEd said that it plans to further expand the program to grade 1 to 3 learners, and ink partnerships with local farmers through home-grown school feeding models.</p><p>The Department of Health earlier <a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/7/16/doh-aims-to-cut-malnutrition-rates-by-half-in-2028-1601">said </a>that it is also determined to reduce malnutrition rates, calling on the local chief executives to accommodate their localities’ needs.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/7/17/tv-patrol-bakit-mahalaga-sa-kalusugan-ang-pagbawas-sa-extra-rice-0026">TV PATROL: Bakit mahalaga sa kalusugan ang pagbawas sa extra rice?</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MnNcLde3U7w?si=9cCE0cI7zKX9P98a" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div>

<p>All kindergarten students from public schools will receive free daily meals through the Department of Education’s expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFD).</p>

All kindergarten students from public schools will receive free daily meals through the Department of Education’s expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFD).

Public kinder students to receive free meals through DepEd feeding program

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Public kinder students to receive free meals through DepEd feeding program

Marilyn Cahatol,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 21, 2025 04:50 PM PHT

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DepEd

Malnutrition

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