SENATOR  Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV has filed a measure seeking to strengthen the country’s National Nutrition Program by expanding and enhancing the government’s existing feeding and nutrition initiatives for Filipino children.

Senate Bill No. 1312 proposes to amend Republic Act No. 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, to address the persistent problem of undernutrition, which Aquino said continues to undermine children’s ability to learn and succeed in school.

“Nutrition is the foundation of quality education,” Aquino emphasized in the bill’s explanatory note, citing the Second Congressional Commission on Education’s finding that proper nourishment is a top priority for improving learning outcomes.

Under the proposed law, the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s supplemental feeding program would be expanded to cover children as young as two years old—lowering the current starting age of three—to address nutritional needs earlier in life.

For schools, the Department of Education would implement universal feeding for all Kindergarten to Grade 3 learners, regardless of nutritional status, while providing targeted feeding for undernourished students in Grades 4 to 6.

The measure also seeks to extend the feeding duration from 120 to 160 days to align with the school year.

Aquino explained that the bill aims to close the gap between Republic Act No. 11148, or the Kalusugan at Nutrisyon ng Mag-Nanay Act, which addresses stunting in the first 1,000 days of life, and the National Nutrition Program, which sustains children’s health as they progress through school.

By expanding coverage and ensuring continuous intervention, Aquino said the measure will help Filipino children get the best start in life and be better prepared to attend and succeed in school.