By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
With concerted efforts from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Agriculture (DA), President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. led the national kick-off of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) and the Milk Feeding Activity at Pulilan Central School in Bulacan on Thursday.
Speaking before more than 775 SBFP beneficiaries joined by other elementary schools from regions I, III, IV-A, IV-B, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, CAR, NCR, and NIR via video communication platform, the President touted this initiative as a timely response to address the need for nourishment among Filipino youth.
He underscored the seriousness of stunted growth and inadequate food affect the learning capabilities of pupils, thus calling for a program that has a non-selective approach in improving the nutritional status of the younger generation.
“Ang nagiging dahilan kung bakit hindi makapag-aral ng mabuti ang kabataan ay kulang sa pagkain. Kaya’t tinanggal na natin ang problema na yan para tiyak tayo na lahat ng pumapasok na nag-aaral ay hindi na kailangan alalahanin ang kanilang kakainin.”
Through the collaboration of DA and DepEd, learners benefit from hot meals, nutritious food products, and meals dispensed at various booths deployed in their respective schools, which are all sourced from local food producers, thus also benefiting the community as a whole.
The SBFP is the government’s flagship school nutrition intervention implemented by the DepEd pursuant to Republic Act No. 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act.
The Chief Executive concluded his speech by encouraging those who made this program possible to expand it further and double down on its implementation, to ensure that no student goes to school on an empty stomach.
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