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Evelyn Macairan - The Philippine Star
December 2, 2025 | 12:00am
After the Senate raised the program’s budget to P28.66 billion, Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that school meals are a key factor in resolving the country’s early literacy challenges.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — The school-based feeding program of the Department of Education (DepEd) will cover 4.49 million students for 200 days next year.
After the Senate raised the program’s budget to P28.66 billion, Education Secretary Sonny Angara emphasized that school meals are a key factor in resolving the country’s early literacy challenges.
About 604,134 junior and 200,663 senior high school students considered wasted and severely wasted will be fed for 45 days through the expanded program.
Some 7,276 adolescent pregnant learners will also be fed for 30 days.
The DepEd only had a working budget of P11.78 billion this year.
“Based on the stories of students and teachers, learners are more active, more alert and ready to listen in class if their stomachs are full. This is proof that the program works,” Angara said.
Hot meals and fortified food products are provided to kindergarten and grade one students, as well as grade two to six learners considered wasted and severely wasted.
The DepEd will allocate funds next year for 219 central kitchens and new mobile kitchen units.
