Philippines: Department of Education's School-Based Feeding Program

Malnutrition is still prevalent in the Philippines. Among 12.7 million school-aged children assessed in 2019, 13.2 percent were stunted or wasted. The School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP) is one intervention to address undernutrition of school children. The Philippine Department of Education (DepEd) partners with various organizations to implement the SBFP. In 2022, the allocated budget was P3.3 Billion ($60 Million), way below the P6 Billion ($109 Million) budget allocation in 2021, as program funding shifted to local government units. The Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028 included the SBFP in the implementation of its strategy framework to improve education and lifelong learning. The proposed budget for 2023 is P5.7 Billion ($104 Million) to cover 1.6 million students. It targets stunted and wasted children.