The Department of Education (DepEd) is consistently undertaking various steps to boost the health of students, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.
“Gusto ni President Bongbong Marcos na ang mga estudyante ay dapat masaya at hindi gutom. And he has underscored that it’s not just about food supply. Sabi niya, it’s also about nutrition, making sure kids eat the right thing, hindi lang any type of food – it’s nutritious food, it’s a good mix – the right protein, carbohydrates or energy. The President is very concerned about it….” DepEd Secretary Juan Edgardo Angara said.
Toward this end, the department has been implementing Republic Act (RA) 11037, entitled “An Act Institutionalizing a National Feeding Program for Undernourished Children in Public Day Care, Kindergarten and Elementary Schools to Combat Hunger and Undernutrition Among Filipino Children,” also known as the “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.”
One vital component of the Act is the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP). This program is intended to address the needs of undernourished public school children from kindergarten to grade six. It aims to provide at least one fortified meal to all undernourished public elementary school children for not less than 120 days in a year.
The SBFP continues to be strengthened by the Marcos Jr. administration and DepEd. They also pursued a collaborative approach in its implementation, maximizing partnerships among various government agencies, local government units (LGUs), communities, and the private sector.
Components of RA 11037
Apart from the School-Based Feeding Program, RA 11037 also identified the following as among the components and coverage of the National Feeding Program.
-Milk Feeding Program
Incorporation of fresh milk and fresh milk-based food products in the fortified meals and cycle menu in accordance with R.A. 8172, otherwise known as the “Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000.”
-Micronutrient Supplements
Provision of micronutrient supplements to beneficiaries, including the use of iodized salt in accordance with R.A. 8172, or the “Salt Iodization or ASIN” law.
-Gulayan sa Paaralan
Encouragement of component units or agencies to devote a portion of their land for the cultivation of vegetables and other nutrient-rich plants as identified by the National Nutrition Council (NNC). Parents are also encouraged to maintain a similar program in their own backyards;
-Integrated Nutrition Education, Behavioral Transformation, and Social Mobilization.
The Program shall be complemented by a public health, nutrition, and values transformation campaign to promote a holistic and integrated approach to health and nutrition.
Expansion of SBFP
For School Year 2024-2025, the SBFP was expanded by the Marcos Jr. administration and DepEd. It now provides free hot meals, nutritious food products and milk to students for the entire academic calendar (220 days) for the first time.
The DepEd earlier said that students tended to revert to a malnourished state if they only received school meals for 120 days (as was implemented). The expanded service is aimed at retaining the positive gains of the school-based feeding program even during school breaks.
And how the program has delivered results! The DepEd noted that more than 57 percent of the learners said they felt more enthusiastic to be in school due to the SBFP.
The DepEd has also strengthened sustainability measures through the Gulayan sa Paaralan Program (GPP). This not only enhances meal quality but also fosters environmental awareness and provides students with practical agricultural skills.
All hands on deck
Secretary Angara said, “The Marcos Jr. administration and DepEd have been pursuing a collaborative approach in implementing the SBFP. It’s a community effort, actually, katuwang natin dito ang lahat And I think, it has come to a point na, all these people and groups want to help.”
He said that apart from the active involvement of government agencies in the SBFP, including the teaching-learning communities and the learners’ parents themselves, several private groups and corporations have been partnering with DepEd for the feeding program.
One of these is Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF). Last December 11, 2024, the DepEd and JGF signed an agreement to adopt a central kitchen model for the school-based feeding program. This will benefit thousands of students from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao in the next one-and- a-half years.
Under the partnership, JGF will provide capacity-building support to share its expertise on implementing the central kitchen model with the public schools, LGUs, and local partners under the JGF Busog, Lusog, Talino (BLT) Program. Thge JGF has already trained 29 DepEd central and regional personnel who will coordinate with the LGUs in setting up and operating central kitchens for school and community feeding.
Meanwhile, the DepEd and Nestlé Philippines, in a bid to encourage learners to adopt a healthy and active lifestyle, have partnered for the Nestlé Wellness Campus Program at Taguig Integrated School.
The Nestlé Wellness Campus Program is Nestle’s flagship advocacy aimed at educating children and their families on healthier food choices and lifestyle habits. The program is implemented across various regions, including the National Capital Region (NCR), CALABARZON, Bicol, Eastern, Central, and Western Visayas, North Mindanao, and Davao.
Likewise, the DepEd and Unilever have partnered to promote nutrition education among families. The 2024 to 2026 tie-up involves Unilever providing 40,000 USB drives with educational videos on nutrition, as well as 60,000 recipe booklets co-created with the DOST – Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). These resources will be distributed to schools nationwide, with content produced in collaboration with GMA’s TV program “Makulay ang Buhay.”
Moreover, the DepEd and Rebisco Group of Companies (RGC) have partnered for the REBISCOVER Learning Program, which aims to support the SBFP and other key DepEd initiatives.
Words of appreciation
The learning-teaching communities of schools across the country continue to express gratitude to DepEd and the Marcos Jr. administration for the School-Based Feeding Program.
The community of Parparya Elementary School (ES) in Barangay Nagyubuyuban, in San Fernando City, La Union, posted on its Facebook page: “Sustaining Wellness: 105 Days of Healthy Meals at Parparya Elementary School. Parparya Elementary School has been a hub of nourishment and care, ensuring that our learners receive the proper nutrition they need to grow, learn, and thrive.
Likewise, the community of Aguinaldo Elementary School in Kawit, Cavite, said, “… successfully distributed nutritious food packs to 89 beneficiaries under the SBFP on February 5, 2025. SBFP Food Pack Contents: Nutripack Cookies, Milkybun, Banana Chips, Enhanced Nutribun (Squash Flavor), and Pasteurized Carabao’s Milk (Chocolate Flavor). These food items provide essential nutrients that help students stay energized, focused, and healthy throughout the school day…”
Umpucan Elementary School in Umpucan, San Ildefonso, Bulacan, also gave words of appreciation, calling the program a harbinger of “ healthy meal, and a brighter future. Today marks the start of Week 22 of our School-Based Feeding Program, ensuring that our learners… receive nutritious meals to fuel their minds and bodies.”
Onward to healthy students
“With the guidance and direction provided by President Marcos Jr., the DepEd has been unwavering in seeking and implementing ways to strengthen our School-Based Feeding Program as well as other nutrition-oriented programs for the students,” Secretary Angara emphasized.
He added, “The various groups, especially in the private sector, in their approval of the Marcos Jr. administration’s approach in the implementation of this program, have been actively partnering with the DepEd to expand the program’s benefits to more students across the country.”
“With all these factors in place, our students are assured of strategic and consistent nutrition and health initiatives from the government and DepEd,” Secretary Angara underscored. A healthy citizenry ensures that the country’s future will be in the pink of health.
