The Senate approved on Monday, September 14, 2026, a bill seeking to amend Republic Act No. 11037 or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para Sa Batang Pilipino Act, by expanding the national nutrition programs to mandate universal feeding for kindergarten to Grade 3 students, and provide support local food producers.
Senate Bill No. 2272 was approved with 19 affirmative votes, no negative vote, and no abstention.
‘This Expanded National Nutrition Program will address one of the most critical reforms needed in our education system… We cannot solve the education crisis if we do not tackle one of its root causes-undernutrition, which stands as a major barrier to effective learning among Filipino students,’ Sen. Bam Aquino, sponsor of the bill, said.
Aquino highlighted three major legislative reforms introduced under the measure: Adopting a ‘life stage approach’ from maternal care to high school students, establishing universal feeding for all kindergarten to Grade 3 pupils in public schools, and enforcing clear multi-agency accountability through a Universal Health Record (UHR) system to track child growth.
Moving beyond the previous framework that targeted only undernourished children, the expanded bill broadens its coverage across a child’s developmental lifecycle from maternal nutrition and toddlers to high school students.
Under the bill, the Department of Health (DOH), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), National Nutrition Council (NNC), and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are mandated to maintain data systems to ensure continuity of care and proper case management across all developmental stages.
The measure also mandates that at least 50 percent of agricultural and fishery products required for hot meals are directly procured from accredited local farmers, fisherfolk, and their cooperatives, with payments strictly processed within 15 working days from completion of delivery.
‘By directly procuring from local farmers and fisherfolk, we guarantee their livelihoods. In effect, the budget allocated for nutrition also serves as direct financial support for our local agricultural sector,’ Aquino added.
The bill further provides targeted support for vulnerable sectors, including indigenous learners, children with disabilities, pregnant students, and families in Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDAs).