In line with President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s directive to ensure that local producers benefit from government feeding programs, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian encouraged local government units (LGUs) to utilize the Negotiated Procurement – Community Participation (NP-CP) method in implementing the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP).
During a press briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday (June 17), Secretary Gatchalian presented the SFP as a key initiative jointly implemented by the DSWD and LGUs nationwide to support child nutrition.
“Hindi kami ang nag-procure [ng hot meals]. It’s community procurement done by LGUs.
As a general rule, ang preferred modality namin is to download the funds to the LGUs. They themselves conduct the community procurement and we encourage central kitchens or community kitchens in the daycare centers themselves,” Secretary Gatchalian told members of the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC).
The use of NP-CP, as authorized by the procurement law, allows local communities—including farmers, fisherfolk, and cooperatives—to supply goods to government programs such as the SFP.
“Babalikan ko yung instruction ng ating Pangulo na dapat sa ganitong programa ang nakikinabang yung mga magsasaka rin o yung mga small agri co-ops sa lugar na yun. Kaya nga, always encourage them to do community procurement or use the Sagip Saka Law,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
The SFP provides hot meals to children enrolled in LGU-managed child development centers (CDCs) and supervised neighborhood play (SNP) groups, where served food is equivalent to one-third of the Recommended Energy and Nutrient Intake (RENI).
The meals use indigenous and locally sourced ingredients to ensure nutrition while supporting local livelihoods.
In April 2024, President Marcos issued Memorandum Circular No. 47, directing the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger (IATF-ZH) and other government agencies to adopt the community participation procurement approach in programs under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP).
The SFP is one of DSWD’s flagship programs under EPAHP, consistent with the dietary service commitments outlined in EPAHP Joint Memorandum Circular No. 1, which also aims to strengthen market access for community-based organizations (CBOs) through community procurement.
Institutionalized under Republic Act No. 11037 or the Masustansiyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, the SFP is implemented annually to help improve the nutritional status of children from low-income families.(YADP)