The Department of Education (DepEd) is set to double the number of learners covered by its school-based feeding program by School Year 2026–2027, with more than four million students expected to receive free meals, Secretary Sonny Angara said in an interview on Dos Por Dos.
Angara said the Senate has nearly doubled the program’s budget, allowing the expansion of coverage beyond the current criteria that prioritize kindergarten to Grade 6 students who are classified as “wasted” or “severely wasted,” except for kindergarten where universal feeding is already implemented.
“Pati grade 1 isasama kapag naipasa itong ginawa ng senado na dagdag budget sa (universal) feeding. From mahigit 2 milyon magiging mahigit apat na milyon na ang papakainin dito sa school feeding,” Angara said.
However, Angara noted that Grades 2 to 6 will remain covered on a “labeled basis,” meaning only those identified as wasted or severely wasted will continue to be included in the program.
The expanded feeding program will officially take effect in School Year 2026–2027, the education secretary confirmed. Angara further explained that the meals vary depending on the school’s facilities.
“Yung iba hot meals kasi yung may iba may kusina yung kanilang eskwelahan. Atsaka tumutulong yung local government sa pagluto at pagdistribute. Yung iba may dinidstribute na parang pack meals, may mga tinapay, gatas, at ibang masustansyang pagkain na dumadaan dapat sa DOST,” he said.
For Grades 2 to 6, Angara said they will still be included, but only those who fall under the “wasted” and “severely wasted” categories will be prioritized. He emphasized that younger learners must be given the widest coverage due to their critical stage of brain development.
“Ayon sa science o sa datos ay yung talagang dapat pakainin yung mas bata dahil kung magpa-prioritize tayo yun talaga ang dapat i-prioritize kasi yung utak nila hindi pa buong-buo, nasa development stage pa,” he noted.
“Sulit yung investment dyan, yun ang pinapakita sa mga nag-invest dyan talagang kita yung pag-improve o pagpapaganda ng kanilang performance, yung mga grado nila, attention span nila,” the secretary added.
Angara also stated that the government plans to extend the feeding program to the preparatory level, stressing that children should receive proper nutrition even before they enter kindergarten.
