I have often wondered why the task of improving the overall nutrition of the people was devolved to local government units (LGUs) through the establishment of nutrition offices. But is the LGU really the right government instrumentality to be tasked with improving nutrition? How does the periodic conduct of feeding programs for selected children and pregnant mothers translate to a long-term, sustainable impact on our overall nutrition? Simply put, the LGU cannot mandate what we eat in our own homes.

With your indulgence, let us, perhaps, consider making the Department of Education responsible for the proper nutrition of school-age children alongside its efforts to raise the standard of education in the country.

Do we really expect malnourished and hungry children to fare well in school? It should be no surprise that despite the adoption of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) and having fully transitioned to the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, Filipinos still continue to lag behind in basic competencies compared to their well-fed counterparts.

Since much ado has been made about the present state of the education system, why not integrate measures to improve nutrition in our public elementary schools, where malnutrition is prevalent? Sure, schools are obliged to observe “Nutrition Month” every July. Sadly, the rest of the time, little or no thought goes into filling our children’s stomachs with healthy food or teaching them healthy eating habits. Consistency is key.

Wouldn’t it have made more sense — or at least made for a better, more effective, and impactful way of addressing malnutrition and hunger — if we did it through the education system by serving free, healthy lunches or snacks (like we did with the Nutri-Bun program in the 1970s) in our school canteens?

Never mind the new jobs generated and the support to local food producers. Imagine a reality where Filipino children are healthy — eating more fresh fish, fruits and vegetables abundant in their locality rather than binging on junk food and fast food on a regular basis. Parents wouldn’t have to worry about whether or not their kids had anything to eat in school. Our children would be well-fed, have better focus, stay in school, and, more importantly, have a better chance at a better life.

Necessarily, the next question would be: where would the funding come from? The budget for education is already tight as it is. Maybe Congress could consider using some of the money from aid programs to feed our children in school. Whether it’s 4Ps, AKAP, TUPAD, or AICS, the bottom line is they all provide financial aid or assistance for low-income families to make ends meet. While I am certain arguments can be made to distinguish one from the others, the fact remains: they all cater to the same demographic of beneficiaries.

There is a reason our Constitution mandates that education should have the “highest budgetary priority.” Precisely because, as Jose Rizal said, “The youth is the hope of our future.” It follows, therefore, that every penny spent on improving education should NOT be seen as an EXPENSE but rather as an INVESTMENT in the future of every Filipino child and the future of our nation. There are indeed some things in life that we should spend on that actually make us richer. One of them: education.