THE DEPARTMENT of Budget and Management allocated P3.7 billion for Supplementary Feeding Program for children under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

A statewide feeding program will be established for undernourished children in public daycare, kindergarten, and elementary schools in accordance with Republic Act 11037, also known as the ‘Healthy Food for Filipino Children Act’, in order to stop childhood hunger and malnutrition.

“The future of our country lies in our youth. Kaya naman dapat tiyakin natin na ang mga bata, lalo na iyong mga nasa formative years, ay hindi malilipasan ng gutom,” Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

“We want our children to eat healthy, and live healthy,” she added.

The SFP consists of two sub-programs, namely, regular feeding and milk distribution.

The aforementioned regular feeding program will benefit 1.8 million children registered in day care centers run by local governments, while the milk-feeding program will benefit up to 160,000 children.