DepEd to include malnourished pregnant teen students in feeding program

MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Education (DepEd) will include malnourished pregnant teenage students in the school-based feeding program (SBFP) starting next year, Education Secretary Sonny Angara announced Friday, December 5.

The decision follows a recommendation from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM 2) aimed at preventing stunting in infants.

“Nakita natin na ‘yung mga nabubuntis na teenagers, hindi rin sila aware du’n sa pangangailangan nung pregnancy nila. So, kailangan may certain nutrients, etcetera. So, kailangan isama na namin,” Angara said during a school visit in Las Pinas.

(We observed that pregnant teenagers are not aware of their needs such as certain nutrients. So, we need to include them in the feeding program.)

Data released earlier this year by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 3,343 babies were born to girls aged 10 to 14 in 2023.

EDCOM 2 suggested the inclusion of malnourished pregnant teenage students as Republic Act 11037, or the Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act, only mandates DepEd to conduct an SBFP for undernourished learners from kindergarten to Grade 6 in public schools.

“Pa’no kung Grade 7, 8, 9, 10 tapos buntis ta’s alam mong malnourished? Hindi mo bibigyan? ‘Pag hindi mo binigyan ng support ‘yan, pagkapanganak niya, at birth, stunted na ‘yung bata,” EDCOM 2 Executive Director Karol Mark Yee told Rappler.

(What if a malnourished pregnant student is in Grade 7, 8, 9, or 10? You would not give them food? If you do not provide them support, the baby will be stunted at birth.)

“Nakita natin sa lahat ng pag-aaral (Studies show), the most important window to address stunting is zero to four years old. After that, it is irreversible,” he said.

Based on EDCOM 2’s findings, 26.7% of Filipino children below age 5 are stunted, “a statistic meaning over one quarter of young children will suffer long-term damage to their cognitive development, impairing their ability to learn and their prospects for a stable future.”

Humanitarian organization Save the Children noted the importance of “steady access to nutritious food” among children, including young mothers.

“Adolescent pregnancy remains a national crisis, with cases now reported among girls as young as 8 and increasing among those age 10. When a child is already caring for another life, hunger adds more strain to their health,” read part of a Save the Children statement.

“Stronger public nutrition programs help keep children healthy, including those who are pregnant or parenting, so they can stay in school,” it added.

Starting in the 2025–2026 school year, the SBFP was expanded to cover all kindergarten and Grade 1 pupils, regardless of their nutritional status.

Under the Senate-approved 2026 General Appropriations Bill, P1.044 trillion is allocated to DepEd, with P28.66 billion earmarked for the SBFP.  – Rappler.com