Manila: The city government has institutionalized its feeding program for preschoolers in public daycare centers, ensuring consistent support with an initial budget of PHP22 million. The initiative, dubbed the Food for Early Education Development (FEED) program, was formalized through an ordinance authored by Councilor Frances Grace Parcon-Torres and approved by the Sangguniang Panlungsod during its regular session.

According to Philippines News Agency, one of the main reasons for proposing the ordinance was to ensure budget allocation so the program would not rely solely on a supplemental budget. This would guarantee that every year, the program will have its own dedicated budget. For the school year 2024-2025, the FEED program aims to benefit 10,099 development center learners. Parcon noted that the initial budget of PHP22 million was set, considering there are also donations from the private sector.

Another significant aspect of the ordinance is the involvement of parents in preparing meals for the learners. The meals are required to comply with a cycle menu and adhere to the standards of the supplementary feeding program (SFP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in Western Visayas (DSWD-6). The City Health, through the Iloilo City Nutrition Center, provides technical assistance in menu preparation to ensure compliance with these standards.

The FEED program will complement the SFP of the DSWD-6, which is set to run for 120 days or five days a week. An agreement for the implementation of the next school year was signed last month between DSWD-6 and the city government. At the start of the school year, DSWD will allocate PHP22.83 million to the city government to provide daily meals to 7,611 children aged three to five years.

In a previous interview, Iloilo City social welfare development officer Teresa Gelogo stated that the city government is committed to sustaining the feeding program to cover the entire 10-month period when the target children are in the centers.