DUTERTE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO GIVE FREE LUNCH TO CHILDREN ENROLLED IN PUBLIC KINDER AND ELEMENTARY

The Duterte government planned to give free lunch to all kindergarten and elementary students enrolled in public school.

The good news was announced by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque during his first Malacanang presscon in Kalinga, where he addressed issues and concerns raised on the Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN), rice crisis, Dengvaxia and federalism.

He said that the Free Lunch Aid to children was nearly approved by the government that would help to prevent malnutrition among growing students.

As of writing, the Palace is not yet giving additional details on their ‘Free Lunch’ program, however it gained positive reactions from the netizens whom their children enrolled in public schools.

Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte already implemented the supplementary feeding program of children enrolled in day care centers within the city.

During the Marcos period, the government implemented the famous program called ‘Nutribun’, a bread resembled pandesal but denser and healthier.

It was distributed everyday during the 1970s as a supplementary feeding program to all elementary students.

According to the statistics in 2013, 1,773,505 children in kindergarten level were enrolled in public schools, while 13,259,489 were elementary students. A study by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute says that 26 percent of children up to 2 years old suffer from chronic malnutrition, the highest number in 10 years.