Ranking solon highlights bigger feeding funds of DepEd, DSWD
Two key government agencies will have at its disposal for this year an accumulated P3.41-billion increase in its feeding funds, Deputy Speaker and Batangas 6th district Rep. Ralph Recto bared on Monday, Feb. 6.

According to Recto, Congress--meaning both the House of Representatives and Senate--"upsized" the budgets of the two mega child feeding programs of the government under the Department of Education (DepEd) and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
From P3.32 billion in 2022, funding for the DepEd’s “School-Based Feeding Program” rose to P5.69 billion in the 2023 national budget, or an increase of P2.37 billion.
With the amount, DepEd said in its budget presentation to Congress that 1.7 million learners will benefit.
“DepEd will not only feed the mind, but the body as well. Nutrition impacts learning," Recto said,
The DSWD, on the other hand, will be getting P5.2 billion this 2023 for its “Supplementary Feeding Program, up by P1.04 billion, from last year’s P4.16 billion.
The amount will be enough to feed 1,754,637 children age two to five in community and neighborhood sites.
“That is almost 200 million meals served, by DSWD alone,” Recto pointed out.
“In effect, VP Inday (Sara Duterte) and Secretary Rex , in addition to what’s on their plates, will have to play the role of master chefs in this nationwide catering operation,” the former Senate President pro tempore said.
In addition to helping children lacking in food and nutrition, the two programs can be leveraged into helping local farmers and food producers, Recto said.