Marilyn Cahatol

Article (news)

Jervis Manahan

ABS-CBN News

<div style="text-align:center"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&amp;href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Freel%2F1571511031312539%2F&amp;show_text=false&amp;width=560&amp;t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br/></div><p>PULILAN, Bulacan — More school children will be fed nutritious meals in schools as government expands the school-based feeding program starting this school year.</p><p>Instead of just feeding the select undernourished students, all kindergarten and grade 1 students will be covered.</p><p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and officials of the Department of Education on Wednesday led the National Kick-off program for the expansion of school-based feeding at the Pulilan Central School in Bulacan.</p><p>&quot;Dati namimili tayo kung sino ang bibigyan, kung sino undernourished, sino kulang pagkain sa bahay, ngayon, ginawa namin, para mas madali, lahat na lang ng pumapasok ay papakainin namin,&quot; Marcos said.</p><p>&quot;Tiyak na tiyak na lahat ng ating mga kabataan ay handa na mag-aral, handa na pumasok, mag-aral na mabuti hindi inaalala ang kanyang kakainin,&quot; he added.</p><p>This comes as the Marcos administration increased the budget for school feeding programs to P26 billion this year. </p><p>&quot;Nakakatuwa, I’m very very happy to see the launching of the national school-based feeding program. Habang tumatagal ito mararamdaman na natin na gumaganda at ligtas ang mga bata sa kanilang sakit at makapag-aral sila ng mabuti at kumpleto ang maging experience,&quot; the President added.</p><p>A total of 775 school children from Pulilan Elementary School are beneficiaries of the project, but simultaneous feeding programs were also held in various schools across the country.</p><p>Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that the program is not merely a supplemental feeding initiative but a structural response to latest findings of the Department of Science and Technology - Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI) showing that stunting among the youth has ticked up to 27 percent in 2025 from 25.3 percent in 2023. </p><p>&quot;Ito yung unang beses na sa buong school cycle, ibig sabihin buong school year, 180 days minimum, papakainin yung mga bata,&quot; said Angara.</p><p>Malnourished and undernourished children from Grades 2-6 will still be fed as part of the program.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2025/12/6/deped-boosts-feeding-academic-recovery-programs-1920">DepEd boosts feeding, academic recovery programs</a></div><div>  </div><div><strong>JOINT ORDER WITH DA</strong></div><div><br/></div><p>The Department of Education also signed a Joint Administrative Order with the Department of Agriculture for the milk feeding component of the program.</p><p>Under the agreement, the DepEd will purchase milk from cooperatives accredited by the Philippine Carabao Center and the National Dairy Authority.</p><p>&quot;Direct purchase ito sa mga farmer cooperatives natin at the right price na maging profitable sila, meanwhile, sa feeding program ng mga bata, yung malnutrition, naa-address,&quot; said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/health-science/2025/7/16/doh-aims-to-cut-malnutrition-rates-by-half-in-2028-1601">DOH aims to cut malnutrition rates by half in 2028 </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/business/08/30/16/malnutrition-costs-philippines-p328-b-a-year-study">Malnutrition costs Philippines P328-B a year - study </a><br/><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/nation/2026/6/17/deped-rolls-out-strengthened-senior-high-curriculum-assures-no-layoffs-for-public-school-teachers-1624">DepEd rolls out &#x27;strengthened&#x27; senior high curriculum, assures no layoffs for public school teachers </a></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/n6FnuGeOc6Q?si=cOTwLV8OhJz7WOHa" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and officials of the Department of Education on Wednesday led the National Kick-off program for the expansion of school-based feeding at the Pulilan Central School in Bulacan.</p>

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr and officials of the Department of Education on Wednesday led the National Kick-off program for the expansion of school-based feeding at the Pulilan Central School in Bulacan.

Marcos says expanded school-based feeding to cover all Kinder, Grade 1 students

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Marcos says expanded school-based feeding to cover all Kinder, Grade 1 students

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published July 08, 2026 01:55 PM PHT

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