DBM allots P3.7B for DSWD’s feeding program for children

The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Friday it has allocated P3.7 billion for the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)’s Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) for children under the proposed P5.268-trillion national budget for 2023.

In a statement, the DBM said the SFP comprises two subprograms, namely regular feeding and milk distribution.

It said the regular feeding program will benefit around 1.8 million children enrolled in child development centers managed by local government units and supervised neighborhood play or day care centers.

Meanwhile, 157,968 malnourished children will benefit from the milk feeding program.

The first subprogram was sought to receive P3.1 billion allocation, and the second was proposed to be allocated with P360 million, according to the DBM.

The remaining P181.9 million was set aside for administrative costs of the SFP, the Budget Department said.

The DSWD is the lead agency in the program implementation of the SFP for undernourished children aged three to five years old.

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

For her part, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said “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 (That’s why we need to ensure that children, especially those in their formative years, won’t skip meals). We want our children to eat healthy, and live healthy.”

The Budget chief 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 children were given nourishment through the SFP, the DBM said.—AOL, GMA News