The Marcos Jr. administration has rolled out a ₱3-billion initiative aimed at combating childhood malnutrition while simultaneously boosting the local dairy sector by securing a steady market for Filipino milk producers.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the nationwide launch of the Milk Feeding Program in Pulilan, Bulacan.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. formalized the agency’s commitment to the school-based feeding campaign through the signing of a Joint Administrative Order (JAO).
The initiative intends to deliver vital nutrition to approximately 4.5 million students and provide economic stability to 113 domestic dairy cooperatives and processors.
Adhering to the Sagip Saka Law, all milk supply for public schools will be sourced solely from homegrown farmers, cooperatives, and processors.
“Many Filipinos still remember Nutribun as a symbol of a generation’s fight against hunger and its pursuit of better nutrition. Today, we write the next chapter. This time, we nourish our children with fresh, locally produced milk that also creates opportunities for our farmers,” Tiu Laurel stated.
“In the end, the measure of this program will not be the millions of glasses distributed, but the healthier children we nurture, the farming families whose lives improve, and the brighter future we build together,” he added.
The signed JAO establishes a collaborative framework linking the Department of Education, the Department of Agriculture, the Philippine Carabao Center, the National Dairy Authority (NDA), and local government units to improve student health and classroom performance.
National Dairy Authority administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya highlighted that the program’s lasting impact lies in providing a reliable market for local producers.
“Demand is the strongest incentive for farmers to invest. When they know there is a dependable market for their milk, they are more willing to expand production, improve herd quality, and upgrade their operations. This program lays the foundation for a stronger, more competitive local dairy industry,” Andaya explained.
In addition to milk distribution, the Agriculture Department is advocating for campus gardening projects to integrate farming awareness into basic education.
Reflecting on the project’s ultimate goals, Tiu Laurel remarked, “Ang programang ito ay para sa mas malusog na Batang Pilipino, mas maunlad na Local dairy industry at mas masaganang Bagong Pilipinas.”