DepEd expands feeding program to all Kindergarten students

Metro Manila, Philippines - All kindergarten students will now receive daily meals in the expanded school feeding program for at least 120 school days, the Department of Education (DepEd) said in a statement on Monday, July 21.

The policy is an improvement from the previous program, which earlier covered students classified as undernourished.

In a chance interview during the program’s launch in Antipolo, Rizal, Education Secretary Sonny Angara said the length of the feeding initiative doubled to 120 days.

The feeding initiative, which provides daily hot meals and fortified products, may benefit over three million students, including “severely wasted” learners from Grades 1 to 6, the DepEd said.

The agency said the program will help address malnutrition.

“This shift is informed by clear results since last school year, the number of severely wasted Kindergarten children was reduced by more than half, from 113,451 down to 47,281. Improvements were also recorded in energy levels, class participation, weight gain, and overall health,” the agency said in a statement.

“Kapag may sapat na nutrisyon ang mga bata, mas madali silang matuto. Hindi natin kailangan hintayin pang magutom o magkasakit sila bago kumilos,” Angara was quoted as saying.

[Translation: When children have proper nutrition, they learn more easily. We don't need to wait for them to go hungry or get sick before we take action.]

DepEd said it is studying the possibility of expanding the program’s coverage to Grade 1 to 3 learners “who remain vulnerable to learning delays linked to nutrition deficits.”

NewsWatch Plus correspondent Lance Mejico contributed to this report.