Manila: The government is taking significant measures to address the increasing cases of child stunting across the nation by expanding its feeding and nutrition programs, as announced by Malaca±ang on Thursday.
According to Philippines News Agency, Palace Press Officer Claire Castro highlighted the Marcos administration's acknowledgment of the enduring issue of child stunting. She emphasized that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. had already initiated interventions, including a directive to establish child development centers and daycare facilities to bolster early childhood nutrition and development efforts.
Castro mentioned that the Department of Education's school-based feeding program for the 2026 to 2027 period is allocated a budget of PHP25.6 billion. This initiative aims to support approximately 4.63 million learners by extending feeding days to 200, up from the previous 120 days, ensuring sustained nutritional support.
Beneficiaries of this expanded program include learners from Kinder to Grade 1 under the universal feeding scheme, in addition to undernourished students from Grade 2 to Grade 6. Furthermore, pregnant and adolescent learners, along with vulnerable and marginalized students beyond Grade 6, are also covered.
Castro noted that the expansion and extension of the program are in response to the ongoing rise in stunting cases, despite existing initiatives like the First 1,000 Days program and food assistance efforts. She emphasized that the government is recognizing the need to increase the number of child beneficiaries.
She also pointed out that the Department of Social Welfare and Development continues to execute feeding initiatives such as the Walang Gutom Program and Supplemental Feeding Program. These programs target around 1.8 million children enrolled in LGU-run childhood development centers and supervised neighborhood play groups across the country, providing meals for children aged 3 to 5 for up to 180 days.
The expanded program underscores efforts to enhance coverage and duration of feeding interventions to address persistent malnutrition. Recent data from the Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology showed that stunting among children under five years old increased to 25.3 percent in 2025.
