MANILA - Around PHP3.7 billion will be earmarked for the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) which will benefit nearly two million children, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Friday.

The spending plan is included in the proposed 2023 National Expenditure Program (NEP) to make sure that children aged three to five will be given proper nutrition, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman said.

"The future of our country lies in our youth. Kaya naman dapat tiyakin natin na ang mga bata, lalo na iyong mga nasa formative years, ay hindi malilipasan ng gutom (That's why we have to make sure that the children, especially those who are in formative years, will not experience hunger). We want our children to eat healthy, and live healthy," Pangandaman said.

The SFP is composed of two subprograms, namely regular feeding and milk distribution.

The DBM said around PHP3.1 billion would be used for the regular feeding of around 1.8 million children enrolled in child development centers managed by local government units and supervised neighborhood play.

On the other hand, about PHP360 million would be allotted for the milk feeding program that will benefit some 157,968 malnourished children, the DBM added.

The remaining PHP181.9 million, the Budget department said, would be set aside for administrative costs of the SFP.

Pangandaman said good nutrition is important to develop and enhance the physical and mental capacities of children.

In 2021, a total of 1,685,170 children were given nourishment through the SFP.

In his budgetary message, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. stressed the need to "continue to address malnutrition in infants, toddlers and children."

Republic Act 11037 or the "Masustansyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act" institutionalizes a national feeding program for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten and elementary schools to address hunger and undernutrition among Filipino children.

The DSWD is the lead agency tasked to implement the SFP for undernourished children. (PNA)