The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) plans to fast-track early childhood care and development programs at the municipal level, introducing a standardized feeding initiative aimed at curbing malnutrition and stunting among young children.

During Senate Committee on Finance deliberations on the agency’s proposed P332.5-billion budget for 2027, Interior Secretary Jonvic Remulla said the department will mobilize local government units to expand services for children aged 5 and under.

“A large part of our effort is the feeding program that we will have for the children. We will get meals ready to eat, prepacked and just heated in the respective barangays,” Remulla said.

He added that using prepackaged, standardized meals will improve cost efficiency and guarantee uniform nutritional value across regions, insulating local programs from fluctuating provincial market prices.

“The nutritional value will be more efficiently distributed to the children at a lower cost than to cook it manually over the 42,000 barangays in the country,” said Remulla.

Under Republic Act 12199, also known as the Early Childhood Care and Development System Act, the interior secretary serves as ex-officio co-chairperson of the ECCD Council, guiding local implementation of early education, nutrition, parental support, and monitoring programs.

The proposed 2027 budget includes funding allocations for the ECCD Council to support local capacity building, oversee child development centers, and accredit service providers nationwide.

Remulla stressed that expanding local early childhood programs remains vital to delivering consistent nutritional and developmental care to children across all barangays.