The government’s P3-billion school milk feeding program is set to create a reliable market for locally produced milk, giving the local dairy industry a demand boost while supplying fresh milk to about 4.5 million public school learners nationwide.

To support the initiative, the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday signed the Joint Administrative Order (JAO) on the national Milk Feeding Program, formalizing the implementation of the nationwide school-based feeding initiative.

“Many Filipinos still remember Nutribun as a symbol of a generation’s fight against hunger and its pursuit of better nutrition. This time, we nourish our children with fresh, locally produced milk that also creates opportunities for our farmers,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said.

“In the end, the measure of this program will not be the millions of glasses distributed, but the healthier children we nurture, the farming families whose lives improve, and the brighter future we build together,” he added.

The JAO institutionalizes coordination among the DA, Department of Education, National Dairy Authority (NDA), Philippine Carabao Center, local government units and other stakeholders to strengthen the feeding program while improving children’s nutrition and supporting the local dairy value chain.

NDA Administrator Atty. Marcus Antonius T. Andaya said the program gives dairy producers the market certainty needed to invest and expand operations.

“Demand is the strongest incentive for farmers to invest. When they know there is a dependable market for their milk, they are more willing to expand production, improve herd quality, and upgrade their operations. This program lays the foundation for a stronger, more competitive local dairy industry,” Andaya said.

Under the Sagip Saka Law, all milk distributed in public schools will be sourced from local dairy farmers, cooperatives and processors.

The government has earmarked more than P3 billion for the procurement of locally produced milk, providing a steady source of demand for 113 dairy farmer cooperatives and processors.