The Department of Education (DepEd) has officially launched the Expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) at Juan Sumulong Elementary School in Antipolo, Rizal. The program will last for 120 days, double the previous 60-day feeding program under the previous administration.
According to Education Secretary Sonny Angara, children learn more easily when they have adequate nutrition. So there is no need to wait for them to go hungry or get sick before taking action. DepEd considers this program as an investment in the health, education, and future of the youth.
This year, all kindergarten pupils in public schools are now included in the feeding program—not just the undernourished. In addition to kindergartners, the program also includes children in Grades 1 to 6 who are considered “severely wasted” and “wasted.” hot meals and fortified food are being provided to an estimated 3.4 million children.
As a result, the number of severely wasted kindergarten students decreased from 113,451 last year, to 47,281 this year. In Region II and Region XI, cases of severe malnutrition decreased by almost 80%. Teachers also saw an increase in the children's class participation, energy level, and alertness.
To support this, 74 central kitchens have been set up to speed up food preparation and distribution. More than 44,000 schools are also participating in the Vegetables in Schools Program, which provides fresh vegetables and nutrition education to students.
