Former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan is championing a nationwide free breakfast program for preschool to Grade 12 students if elected back to the Senate. Speaking in Nueva Ecija, he emphasized the twin goals of addressing child hunger and supporting local agriculture.
Pangilinan said his proposed law would ensure every child from daycare to high school receives nutritious meals at school, helping both students and their families. “No child should study on an empty stomach. A healthy breakfast gives them a better shot at success,” he said.
He also plans to include a requirement for schools to source at least 50% of the food from local farmers and fishers. “This way, while feeding our children, we also boost the income of our local producers,” he added.
Pangilinan cited alarming data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showing over three million children under five are stunted, and another one million are wasted. Meanwhile, the FNRI reported that one in three children aged 6 to 12 is malnourished.
The funding for the free meals would come from current government feeding and poverty alleviation programs, as well as partnerships with private groups and NGOs.
In a separate campaign event, former Senator Bam Aquino proposed increasing support for nursing students, including free coverage of laboratory fees and related learning experiences (RLE), which he believes should be included in government scholarship programs. He said such support should be tied to a commitment for graduates to work in local hospitals to help ease the country’s nursing shortage.