Senatorial candidate Kiko Pangilinan plans to propose legislation that would provide free and nutritious breakfast to students from preschool to Grade 12 if he is elected in the May 2025 elections.

Speaking to volunteers during a meet-and-greet event in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija on Wednesday, the former senator and food security czar acknowledged the challenges of providing healthy and nutritious breakfasts for school-age children.

“Free breakfast from daycare centers to Grade 12 — breakfast should be free so our children don’t go hungry, and their meals are nutritious. They will benefit, and so will our parents because they won’t have to worry about what their children will eat when they go to school,” he said.

“We will include in the proposed law that half of the food purchased by schools should come from local farmers and fishermen to help increase the income of our farmers and fishermen,” Pangilinan added.

The senatorial candidate expressed concern over the high number of malnourished children in the country, with 2022 data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showing that over three million Filipino children under five are stunted and over one million are wasted.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute also reported that one in three Filipino children aged six to 12 suffers from malnutrition.

“No child should study on an empty stomach. With free breakfast, we give them the chance to succeed,” the former food security secretary said.

Noting that poor nutrition affects a child’s cognitive development, attention span and energy levels, he emphasized its impact on learning and academic performance.

“Dreams alone are not enough, they also need strength. Hunger is an enemy of education. We are with each child in their success through free breakfast,” he said.

‘Free breakfast from daycare centers to Grade 12 — breakfast should be free so our children don’t go hungry, and their meals are nutritious.’

Funding for the proposed legislation could come from existing government feeding and poverty alleviation programs, as well as through partnerships with the private sector and non-government organizations, Pangilinan added.

Pangilinan highlighted Nueva Ecija as the birthplace of his Sagip Saka Act, which allows the government to buy produce directly from farmers and fisherfolk without the need for public bidding.

During a meet-and-greet with volunteers in San Jose City on 26 March, Pangilinan credited the Kalasag Farmers Producers Cooperative as the inspiration for the law, noting how it has benefited agricultural communities by improving their income and productivity.

In response to allegations that he hadn’t accomplished much during his Senate terms, Pangilinan shared that he had been working with the Kalasag farmers since 2011, emphasizing his long track record of support for local farmers. He also recalled the P11.8 million in assistance provided to agricultural communities through a 2012 Memorandum of Understanding with the Jollibee Foundation, which helped fund post-harvest facilities, agricultural equipment, and other support to boost farmers’ output.