The local government of Makati expanded its student welfare program to include high schoolers, delivering regular rice subsidies to students at the Higher School ng UMak for the first time.

Makati Mayor Nancy Binay personally distributed the rice allocations to students at the senior high school campus as part of an initiative linking student nutrition directly to academic performance.

Under the program, the city government provides monthly rice assistance alongside early childhood nutrition initiatives. Binay also visited a city-run daycare center to hand out pastries and fruit juices to young learners.

“Children learn best when they are well-nourished, cared for, and supported,” Binay said, stressing that food security and health are central to the city’s educational strategy.

City officials said the expanded distribution reflects a comprehensive approach to student development, targeting both basic nutritional needs and classroom readiness across all public education levels in Makati.