P17.8 billion set for 2027 public schools feeding program

BORONGAN CITY, Eastern Samar, Philippines — The national government is set to spend P17.8 billion next year to provide nutritious meals to undernourished children in public schools and day care centers.

House Minority Leader and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino Libanan made the announcement yesterday, noting that the country observes National Children’s Month in November.

Under the proposed 2027 National Expenditure Program, P11.4 billion is earmarked for the school-based feeding program and another P6.4 billion for the supplementary feeding program.

“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.

He stressed that Congress has a responsibility not only to scrutinize government spending but also to inform citizens how public funds are being used, particularly for programs that directly benefit vulnerable sectors.

“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.

Libanan said the government should maximize the impact of the feeding programs by sourcing food supplies from local farmers and dairy producers.

“This would allow us to address child malnutrition while supporting Filipino growers,” he said.