Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is following through on one of his most talked-about campaign promises — a free breakfast program for students — by filing the “Free Breakfast Program and Sustainable Agriculture Act” as one of his top 10 priority bills upon returning to the Senate.
The bill seeks to address student hunger, improve nutrition among Filipino youth under the K–12 curriculum, and provide sustainable livelihood support to local farmers and fishers.
It also aims to meet nutrition standards set by the Department of Health (DOH) and the National Nutrition Council (NNC).
During the campaign, Pangilinan promised in a speech in Nueva Ecija to ensure that students — from daycare to Grade 12 — would no longer go to school hungry.
“What I want is free breakfast for students in the daycare centers until Grade 12, so students won’t go hungry and get proper nutrition. This benefits the students and the parents as well because they won’t have to worry about providing breakfast for their children,” said Pangilinan.
“No student should go to school hungry. With free breakfast, we give them a chance to succeed,” he added.
Under the proposed measure, at least 50% of food supplies for the breakfast program must be sourced directly from local farmers and fisherfolk, strengthening the rural economy.
This provision aligns with Pangilinan’s earlier Sagip Saka Act, which promotes direct farm-to-market linkages.
The Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) would lead the implementation once enacted into law.