BY ARIEL JAMES P. MERO, LINDON L. ABAPO & JERRYHL LOQUINARIO | DSSC Interns
THE DEPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is expanding its Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) in the region, targeting 91,516 child beneficiaries this year to combat early childhood malnutrition and stunting aggressively.
Larraine T. Villaver, DSWD SFP unit head, said the agency is stepping up its efforts for 2026 by increasing the feeding cycle to guarantee that no young child goes hungry.
“Ang feeding natin ay magsisimula from 1 to 120 feeding days as to the maximum dati, pero ngayon meron po tayong additional—magiging 180 feeding days na po ang feeding ng ating mga bata sa Child Development Centers,” Villaver said.
The program specifically caters to children aged 3 to 4 years old enrolled in Child Development Centers (CDCs) and toddlers aged 2 to 4 years old under the Supervised Neighborhood Play (SNP) program.
Villaver clarified that, unlike other targeted health initiatives, the DSWD implements a “blanket feeding” policy, meaning all enrolled children receive meals regardless of their initial nutritional status.
“Hindi po natin pinipili yung undernourished lang na papakainin, kundi lahat po ng mga bata basta enrolled po sa Child Development Center, whether underweight, normal, or overweight,” she pointed out.
The 2026 target of 91,516 beneficiaries marks a steady increase from the 89,879 children served by the agency last year. To fund this, the government has allocated a budget of ₱25 per meal, which already covers a full meal of rice and a viand (ulam).
Before the actual feeding operations commence, the DSWD is strictly enforcing health measures, including mandatory deworming and anthropometric measurements (height and weight) to monitor stunting and wasting trends among the youth.
To ensure sustainable food supplies, the DSWD is partnering with local community farmers through the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty to act as primary food suppliers.
