The proposed 2027 national budget earmarks ₱17.8 billion to fund nutrition initiatives for undernourished students in public schools and day care centers, according to House Minority Leader and 4Ps Party-list Representative Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan.
Libanan shared the figures on Monday, November 2, coinciding with the nationwide launch of National Children’s Month. Under the proposed ₱7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program (NEP), ₱11.4 billion is designated for the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP), while ₱6.4 billion is set aside for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP).
The House of Representatives approved the legislative equivalent of the NEP, the General Appropriations Bill (GAB), on third and final reading last month.
“As members of Congress, we have a duty to ensure that public funds are spent wisely and that people know where their money is going, especially when it comes to programs that directly affect social welfare,” Libanan said.
The government push for child nutrition comes against a backdrop of recent hunger statistics. A Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed that 20.3% of families experienced involuntary hunger at least once during the second quarter of 2026, while an OCTA Research survey indicated self-rated hunger climbed from 17% in March to 21% in July.
“We must treat proper nutrition as an essential investment in our children’s future. A child who goes to school hungry faces greater difficulty concentrating, participating in class and keeping up with lessons,” Libanan said.
“By ensuring that nutritious food reaches children who need it most, these feeding programs can help remove hunger as a barrier to learning and give our young people a stronger foundation to grow and develop,” he added.
The SBFP, administered by the Department of Education (DepEd), targets kindergarten and elementary students classified as wasted, severely wasted, stunted, or severely stunted, as well as those at risk of dropping out and children from indigenous or indigent households.
Meanwhile, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) manages the SFP, providing meals to preschoolers in public child development centers and supervised neighborhood play programs.
To maximize the impact of these initiatives, Libanan urged the government to source food supplies locally whenever possible.
“This will allow us to address child malnutrition while supporting Filipino growers,” he said.