One of the founders of the League of Corporate Foundations (LCF), Marsman-Drysdale Foundation Inc. (MDFI), has partnered with the local government of Santo Tomas, Davao del Norte to start its first feeding project for preschoolers as part of the implementation of the Early Childhood Care and Development System (ECCDS) Act.

MDFI executive director Yvonne Biyo said 149 stunted children aged 0 to 5 from poor families will be initially supported by the foundation by feeding them with a mix of hot meals and nutritional food packs from Monday to Friday, for 90 to 120 days.

Members of the local parents and teachers association will cook the meals and buy the ingredient from the local market using funds donated by MDFI to the family.

The MDFI also fed lunch to about 300 undernourished elementary and high school children from Arakan town during the last school year, according to Biyo.

The project was intended to address class absenteeism by undernourished children.

“The children would come hungry and then they would eat breakfast.

They would eat their lunch food during recess, so they have nothing else left for lunch. They would go home for lunch, but they don’t come back anymore,” she explained.

The impact of the project was increased level of concentration by the school children. So it addressed absenteeism and school performance, Biyo said. 

Signed into law on 8 May 2025; the ECCDS Act updates and strengthens the country’s previous ECCD framework to better protect and promote the rights, health, nutrition, care and early learning of children from birth to eight years old.

Under the law, local government units implement the ECCDS, including the creation of ECCD offices and child development centers, provision of plantilla positions for child development teachers (CDTs) and child development workers (CDWs).

The law also professionalizes the ECCDS workforce by setting minimum qualifications, training, assessment, certification, and improved salary grades for CDTs and CDWs.