MANILA, Philippines — Millions of Filipino public school children are a step closer to receiving free daily meals after the bicameral conference committee approved the final version of the National Children’s Nutrition Program Act, also known as the Libreng Pagkain sa Paaralan bill.
The consolidated measure aims to combat stunting, malnutrition, and the learning crisis by integrating a comprehensive feeding program into the basic education system.
All enrolled students from Kindergarten to Grade 3 in public elementary schools will receive free, nutritious meals daily. The program extends coverage to nutritionally deficient, undernourished, or stunted students in Grades 4 through 6 based on regular health assessments.
Unlike previous feeding initiatives limited to 120 days, the feeding timeline will cover all 180 to 200 school days of the academic year.
Senator Bam Aquino, principal sponsor of the bill and chairman of the Senate Committee on Basic Education, highlighted the direct link between child nutrition and classroom performance.
"This is considered the most important measure we can pass regarding education. It is a major step toward addressing malnutrition and the education crisis. Our children learn more easily when their stomachs are full and they receive proper nutrition while studying," Aquino said.
Data from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II) and the National Nutrition Council reveal that nearly 1 in 3 Filipino children under five years old suffers from stunting, a condition linked directly to lower academic retention and cognitive development.
Aquino said that educational reform cannot succeed without solving learning poverty at its foundational root.