Philippines Expands Feeding Program for Young Public School Students

In Manila, Philippines, Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced a major expansion of the School-Based Feeding Program on Monday, providing universal meals to all kindergarten and Grade 1 learners in public schools nationwide for the full 180-day school year, backed by a budget increase of nearly tenfold. The initiative, unveiled during celebrations for the International Day of Education at Gen. Pio del Pilar National High School in Makati City, aims to address foundational learning gaps exacerbated by poverty and pandemic disruptions.

Angara emphasized that strong early nutrition and education form the bedrock of long-term academic success. "If you look at countries that are advanced in education, they focus on the foundation," he said. "If the foundation is weak, then whatever is built on it will also be weak." He noted that the program responds to evidence linking hunger to diminished learning outcomes, extending beyond classroom instruction to include family and community support for child development. This marks the first time such universal feeding has been implemented at these grade levels across the Philippines.

The expansion aligns with broader Department of Education...