NATION

Senate OKs expanded national nutrition program

DT · Sep 16, 2026, 9:42 AM

IN PHOTOS | President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Education Secretary Sonny Angara led the national kick-off of the expanded School-Based Feeding Program at Pulilan Central School in Bulacan to combat child malnutrition and classroom hunger. Alongside providing nutritious meals and local milk, the initiative features the Department of Education's partnership with the Department of Agriculture and the nationwide distribution of school bags and educational storybooks to support learner health and learning recovery. — DepEd PH

The Senate has approved on third and final reading a bill expanding the government's national nutrition program to address hunger, stunting and child undernutrition.

Senate Bill No. 2272 seeks to provide sustained nutrition interventions from pregnancy through school age, building on Republic Act No. 11148, which focuses on the first 1,000 days of a child's life.

Sen. Christopher "Bong" Go, a co-author and co-sponsor of the bill, said nutrition problems can have lasting effects on children's health and education.

“Hunger and stunting are not merely nutrition problems, they are health problems and education problems that follow a Filipino child for life,” Go said during Monday's plenary session.

Under the measure, schools would conduct regular height and weight measurements and nutrition assessments in coordination with the Department of Health, local governments and other agencies.

The bill also seeks to strengthen funding and support for the National Nutrition Council and improve coordination among government agencies, schools and health workers.