Marcos leads launch of nationwide feeding program

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday led the launch of the nationwide School-Based Feeding Program and Milk Feeding Activity in Pulilan, Bulacan.

The program seeks to implement a universal feeding program for learners in early grades.

“Natuklasan naman namin na karamihan naman ay dapat talaga pakainin na lang natin, huwag na natin piliin kung sino ‘yung mga dapat bigyan at sino ang hindi kasama sa feeding program, at ginawa po natin ito,” Marcos said.

(We found that, in fact, most of them should simply be fed. We should no longer have to choose who should receive assistance and who should be excluded from the feeding program, and that is what we did.)

The President, meanwhile, said that many Filipino children are stunted and sickly due to lack of nutrition.

Stunting is a condition caused by chronic malnutrition in the first 1,000 days of life. It is known to impair brain development and cognitive function.

“Ito ay napakahalaga dahil alam naman po natin ang pinakamahalaga sa ating mga buhay, ang ating mga anak. Kaya yan ang inuuna natin na alagaan na sila ay makakain na maganda... masustansya ang kanilang kinakain, sila ay ligtas sa sakit, at sila ay makapag-aaral na mabuti,” he said.

(This is very important because we all know that the most important part of our lives is our children. That is why we prioritize taking care of them and making sure they have good, nutritious food to eat, that they are protected from illness, and that they are able to study well.)

“Marami tayong ginagawa para pinabago natin ang pag-aaral para tayo naman masasabi natin, hinanda na natin ang ating mga kabataan para sa kanilang kinabukasan at sa kinabukasan ng Pilipinas,” he added.

(We are doing many things to improve education so that we can truly say we have prepared our youth for their future and for the future of the Philippines.)

Marcos also said that the government prioritizes local products as much as possible.

Wage board

Meanwhile, in an ambush interview during the event, Marcos said that government continues to look into the Regional Tripartite Wage Board.

“Patuloy na tinitiginan at inaaral kung ano ba talaga ang presyuhan sa bawat region, para mailagay ng tama ang wage rate. Kung kailangan wage hike, kung magkano,” he said.

(The appropriate wage rates for each region are continuously being reviewed and studied so that they can be set properly. If a wage increase is needed, we determine how much it should be.)

He said that wages have been increased in Metro Manila.

“Ang susunod ay sa mga regional. Mataagl pa yan, mga September, October pa ‘yung mga iba. Kaya pagka natapos na sa pag aaral, ilalabas na rin natin ang naging resulta at kung ano rekomendasyon,” he said.

(The next will be at the regional level. That will still take some time, some will be in September or October. Once the studies are completed, we will also release the results and the corresponding recommendations.) —VAL, GMA News