MANILA -- The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has allotted P3.7 Billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) for children in the 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP).

With this budget, around 1.8 million children enrolled in child development centers managed by local government units and supervised neighborhood play will be provided hot meals. Moreover, around 157,968 malnourished youngsters will benefit from the milk feeding program.

SFP comprises two subprograms: regular feeding, and milk distribution. The first subprogram was sought to receive P3.1-B allocation, and the second was proposed to be allocated with P360-M. The remaining Php181.9-M was set aside for administrative costs of the SFP.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development is the lead agency in the program implementation of thr SFP for undernourished children aged three to five years old.

In his budgetary message, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. recognized “the need to continue to address malnutrition in infants, toddlers and children.”

For her part, DBM Secretary Amenah F. Pangandaman explained the importance of the program, “The future of our country lies in our youth. Kaya naman dapat tiyakin natin na ang mga bata, lalo na iyong mga nasa formative years, ay hindi malilipasan ng gutom. We want our children to eat healthy, and live healthy.”

The Budget Secretary added that good nutrition is important to develop and enhance the physical and mental capacities of children.

Republic Act No. 11037, also known as “Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act,” institutionalizes a nation feeding program for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools to combat hunger and undernutrition among Filipino children.

In 2021, a total of 1,685,170 young children were given nourishment through the SFP. (DBM)