Five million students to benefit school-based feeding program

Nearly five million students nationwide are expected to benefit from the expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) this year, a measure seen to address malnutrition among school-aged children.

- 

According to Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, under the 2026 national budget, P28.6 billion has been allocated for the program, which is set to cover approximately 4.81 million learners across the country.

To ensure effective implementation, Gatchalian urged the Department of Education (DepEd) to strengthen its coordination with local government units (LGUs), citing logistics as a major challenge.

"Partnering with LGUs is the fastest way to implement the program. We can go down to the municipal level because logistics is really the main challenge," the senator said in a statement.

The 2026 budget allows DepEd to enter into agreements with LGUs, from barangays to provincial governments, enabling them to serve as implementing partners of the feeding initiative.

The program is also expected to expand the number of feeding days from 120 to 200. It will cover all Kindergarten to Grade 1 learners, while continuing to support "wasted, severely wasted, stunted, and severely stunted" students from Grades 2 to 6.

According to Miguel Angelo Mantaring, director of the Bureau of Learner Support Services, DepEd plans to collaborate with LGUs through the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines for a more effective approach.