Expanded feeding program in schools will begin in July – Marcos

A feeding program for children conducted by the local police in Sorsogon in March 2017. —Photo by MARK ALVIC ESPLANA

MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday announced that the expanded school-based feeding program will begin in July.

He said this in a press statement after inspecting the conduct of the first day of classes at Epifanio delos Santos Elementary School in Manila.

“The feeding program will also start next month,” Marcos said.

“That’s why we expanded it. We expanded the feeding program before to reach more children,” he noted.

The expanded feeding program will provide free meals to students for the entire academic calendar for the first time.

READ: Marcos to local leaders: Break cycle of malnutrition in your area

Last March, Marcos urged local chief executives to resolve the problem of malnutrition in their jurisdictions in a bid to break the cycle of “intergenerational malnutrition.”

“It is essential that adequate health and nutrition interventions are integrated into the annual investment plan of each local government unit,” he said in his speech at the National Nutrition Awarding Ceremony in Quezon City.

“Investing in human capital is the key to securing our nation’s future,” he pointed out.

“Therefore, let us intensify our commitment to breaking the cycle of intergenerational malnutrition by looking after the welfare of our people, especially pregnant women, mothers, and their children,” the president added.

Marcos also cited a study conducted by the Second Congressional Commission on Education.

The study revealed that malnourished children in the country are two to three years behind their curriculum expectations by the time they reach third grade. /apl