central kitchen

• Plan proposed to support DepEd’s School-Based Feeding Program

A LAWMAKER proposed to establish a central kitchen to strengthen the school-based feeding program and address student malnutrition in Davao City. 

Councilor Petite Principe, committee chair on education, science and technology, culture and arts, proposed the ordinance on Tuesday’s regular session, March 10.

The councilor recognized the national government’s existing feeding program but stressed that a central kitchen and onsite kitchens will augment the provision of nutritious food to the students.

“No curriculum reform, no digital innovation, no classroom improvement can compensate for the dull ache of hunger. Hunger silences curiosity. Malnutrition weakens attendance. And poverty steals opportunity. Before a child can learn, a child must eat,” Principe said in her privilege speech.

The proposed ordinance mandates a memorandum of agreement between the city government and DepEd Davao for the implementation of the central kitchen and on-site kitchens.

“This initiative proposes universal feeding in targeted pilot schools, meaning we will be feeding all learners in select schools with the highest incidence of malnutrition,” the councilor said.

According to EDCOM 2, or the Second Congressional Commission on Education, which was created by RA 11899, the supplemental feeding program only reached 159,000 schoolchildren aged 2-4 years old as of 2025. In contrast, nearly 400,000 children have been identified as needing immediate help from wasting. 

The Sta. Ana Elementary School Central Kitchen is targeted to be the primary facility and serve the qualified schools within the said school district. 

Meanwhile, on-site kitchens will be established in Marilog and Paquibato Districts, particularly in Indigenous Peoples communities and GIDA areas. 

DepEd in the implementation process will shoulder the costs of food and logistics, while the city government will shoulder the construction and refurbishment of the central kitchen and on-site kitchens.

The city government is responsible for hiring full-time kitchen personnel, setting operational standards, and sourcing from local farmers, cooperatives, and women’s organizations. 

Principe stressed the kitchens will serve culturally appropriate meals and integrate technology for nutrition data tracking. 

To ensure the program’s efficiency, the assessment will not only focus on the BMI but also on attendance, grades, and the overall well-being of the students.

“When we approve this measure, we are not simply funding a kitchen, we are restoring strength to small bodies, hope to young minds, and dignity to families who struggle silently each day,” the councilor said.

The councilor reported that benchmarking was conducted in October and December 2025 in Valenzuela City and BARMM, respectively, as a basis for the proposed central kitchen.

The central kitchen in Valenzuela City has been operating successfully for over 12 years in an urban setting, and the BARMM has been operating both central and on-site kitchens for remote communities