A warm meal, a fair chance

For many Filipino children, getting through the school day without a proper meal remains a challenge. International School Meals Day is a reminder that good nutrition is not optional; it is fundamental to ensuring every learner can participate fully and thrive.

This year, the commitment to strengthening school feeding is clear. Legislators have signaled broad support for expanding the reach and duration of school meals, while the Department of Education has allocated the highest budget yet, with plans to provide meals for 4.6 million learners in SY 2026-2027. DepEd’s vision to pilot a shift toward nutritious, hot, freshly prepared meals this school year – implemented in collaboration with local government units (LGUs) – marks an important evolution in how the nation approaches school feeding: as nourishment, as community support and as a pathway toward healthier futures.

Similar momentum is evident in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), where the Ministry of Basic, Higher and Technical Education (MBHTE) has ensured increasing year-on-year allocations for school meals.

Complementing these reforms is the Philippines’ participation in the Global School Meals Coalition, which brings countries together to share practices that strengthen sustainable models for large-scale school feeding. It provides both inspiration and practical tools to guide the transition toward a stronger, more resilient system.

A simple meal with transformative impact

A warm meal during the school day can transform a child’s ability to learn. Studies show that well-nourished learners are more attentive, engaged and confident. Families feel supported knowing that their children receive healthy meals at school – especially as food and transportation costs strain household budgets.

At the community level, the expansion of the School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) presents opportunities. When schools source the food they serve from nearby farmers, they also create reliable markets and a stable income source for local producers. This home-grown school feeding (HGSF) approach is already being modeled by DepEd and MBHTE. Local farmer cooperatives supply fresh produce directly to 28 schools in the BARMM, as well as in two schools in Isabela, generating 20 to 30 percent additional monthly revenue for cooperative members.

With growing interest from LGUs, HGSF models are expanding to new areas in BARMM, Luzon and Mindanao. These experiences show the potential for a national model that connects nutrition, agriculture and local development, showing the critical partnership between DepEd/MBHTE, LGUs and communities.

Building systems that last

At national and local levels, government partners have adopted tools that assess readiness, harmonize menus, strengthen procurement and improve quality monitoring. Developed through close collaboration between DepEd, MBHTE, LGUs and technical partners, these tools are now being used independently, showing institutional ownership and long-term commitment to sustaining reforms.

DepEd’s and MBHTE’s growing partnership with LGUs is vital. Local governments bring resources, local knowledge and logistical support. Their contributions often include building or repairing school kitchens and providing allowances for cooks and food preparers – strengthening daily operations, enhancing accountability and paving the way for sustainable community-driven school feeding models.

The government is now preparing a school feeding roadmap led by DepEd, with support from global and local partners. This will help guide SBFP’s evolution from targeted feeding toward a more integrated and sustainable system that links nutrition, agriculture and social protection.

Throughout these reforms, WFP has served as a technical partner – supporting capacity-building, sharing global solutions and co-designing models such as HGSF. These collaborations encourage new ways of working, where government agencies and communities lead while drawing from evidence-based practices that reduce risks and improve results.

A sound investment in national development

Universal school meals bring well-documented returns for education, health and local economies. They improve attendance and reduce dropout rates. They support better health outcomes and enhance learning by ensuring children are ready for daily academic demands. Families benefit from reduced food expenses. Communities gain from strengthened local food systems.

These impacts align closely with the Philippine Development Plan. As the country continues to confront learning losses and persistent malnutrition, investments in school meals are not simply social commitments, they are economic strategies that build a stronger, more equitable workforce for the future. The record investment from DepEd and growing legislative interest recognize that feeding children is core to educational success. The challenge now is to sustain this momentum and translate it into long-term systems that reach every child, every day.

With higher national investment, stronger partnerships with LGUs, expanding models to source from local farmers and engagement in global initiatives like the School Meals Coalition, the foundation for a more robust system is being built.

The vision is simple: every learner, every day, receiving a warm, nutritious meal prepared with care.

The Philippines can achieve this.

Because feeding a child strengthens not just a learner, but a family, a community and the nation itself.

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Regis Chapman is Representative and Country Director, World Food Program; Roger Masapol is Assistant Secretary, Department of Education.