The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has increased the budget for the 2025 implementation of its Supplemental Feeding Program (SFP) to boost the nutritional needs of children enrolled in public child development centers (CDCs) and supervised neighborhood plays (SNPs).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said the budget increase is in line with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to strengthen government support for children in CDCs and SNPs by providing them with nutritious and hot meals as well as fresh milk.
Around 1.5 million learners in CDCs and SNPs are expected to benefit from the Supplemental Feeding Program’s increase in budget which is now Php5.182 billion for School Year 2025-2026.
“Ang instruction ng Pangulo ay siguraduhin na may sapat na nutrisyon at pagkain ang ating mga kabataan na naka enroll sa mga CDCs natin,” Secretary Gatchalian told members of the Malacanang Press Corps (MPC) during the press briefing by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday (June 17).
From Php15 in previous years, the unit cost per hot meal will now be Php25 starting school year 2025-2026, according to the DSWD chief.
“Ang total na kabuuang budget na nakalaan para sa Supplemental Feeding Program sa 2025 ay Php5.182 billion at ang target natin na mabigyan ng hot meals sa mga CDCs natin ay 1.5 million na learners. Ang unit cost per hot meal this year pinataasan ng ating Pangulo,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The DSWD chief said the increase aims to ensure the nutritional adequacy of meals served
daily to around 1.5 million enrolled children for 120 days under the program.
“This will ensure na sapat yung nutritional value na natatanggap ng mga kabataan na magiging kalahok nitong SFP sa ating mga CDCs,” Secretary Gatchalian said.
Apart from the increased funding for hot meals, undernourished children enrolled in the
program will also receive fresh milk valued at around Php22 per child to support better physical development and address early signs of malnutrition.
According to the DSWD chief, meals served strictly follow a fixed menu based on Pinggang Pinoy, the dietary guide recommended by the National Nutrition Council (NNC) and validated by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST-FNRI).
“Ang assurance namin sa inyo, sumusunod kami doon sa alituntunin ng NNC hinggil sa
ano dapat yung pinapakain sa mga hot meals natin. Ano yung sine-serve na hot meals. We don’t deviate from that,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
The SFP is implemented yearly after it was institutionalized in 2018 by Republic Act No.11037, also known as the “Masustansiyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act. (YADP)