THE National Dairy Authority (NDA) signed a partnership with ABI Pascual Foods Inc. to serve milk to 500 public school learners daily in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, for a 100-day feeding program to improve child nutrition and support local dairy farmers.
The memorandum of agreement, signed in Makati City on Tuesday, brings together ABI Pascual, NDA, Department of Education, and the city government of Sta. Rosa for the initiative that will benefit Kindergarten to Grade 6 learners of Malitlit Elementary School starting in September 2026.
The program is part of the NDA-Private Sector-Funded Milk Feeding Program, making ABI Pascual the first private-sector partner to implement the agency’s milk-feeding initiative at scale.
The 100-day period aligns with the minimum timeframe used for nutritional status evaluation, allowing partner agencies to monitor changes in the learners’ growth and nutritional outcomes.
NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya said the initiative aims to address child nutrition while creating a stronger market for Filipino dairy farmers.
Andaya said the program is only the beginning of efforts to expand dairy participation among local governments, government agencies, and private companies.
“Right now, it’s just the beginning of this program to increase the market for our dairy farmers,” Andaya said.
He added that the NDA plans to continue engaging corporations and other partners to replicate the initiative.
The agency is also working with lawmakers to extend the number of days covered by the milk-feeding program and increase funding support.
Andaya said the milk-feeding program has a P3 billion budget allocation for 2026, which the agency intends to utilize while continuing discussions for additional funding in succeeding years.
Andaya said Sen. Kiko Pangilinan is among those backing the sector.
The partnership also aims to connect school-based nutrition programs with the growth of the local dairy industry by increasing demand for locally produced milk.