President Marcos gave an assurance that the government  is making sure that students have access to nutritious food in order for them to focus on studying.

Marcos met with beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project on Thursday, Oct. 16 to reassure them that the government is bent on improving the access to nutritious food among the country’s poorest and most food-insecure families.

He emphasized that one of the biggest factors why students cannot concentrate on studying is the lack and inaccessibility of proper food.

"Dahil isa sa pinakamalaking dahilan kung bakit hindi makapag-aral nang mabuti ang mga bata ay dahil may sakit. Napakasimple lang. May sakit dahil mahina ang kain, hindi maganda ‘yung kinakain (One of the biggest reasons children are unable to study well is because they get sick. It’s very simple. They get sick because they don’t eat enough or because the food they eat isn’t nutritious)," Marcos said.

Marcos told the beneficiaries that feeding programs at schools aim to combat malnutrition among students.

"Kaya tinitiyak natin na ang mga estudyante natin ay nabibigyan nang sapat na pagkain para makapag-aral naman sila nang mabuti, makapag-training sila nang mabuti, at maging matagumpay naman sila sa kanilang gawain (That’s why we make sure our students are provided with sufficient food so they can study well, train properly, and succeed in what they do)," he said.

The President assured them that the government is ensuring that the needs of the people, especially children, are met.

"Kaya tinitiyak po ng inyong pamahalaan na lahat po ng pangangailangan, lalong-lalo na ang ating mga kabataan, ay kailangan natin tulungan at bigyan ng lahat ng pagkakataon upang makabili ng ganitong klaseng mga magandang produkto at makapagbigay sa inyong mga pamilya, sa inyong mga anak, ng balansyadong kain para kumpleto po (That’s why your government is making sure that all the needs of our people—especially our children—are met, and that they are given every opportunity to afford and access good, nutritious products so their families and children can have balanced meals)," Marcos said.

"Kaya't inaalalayan natin mabuti ‘yan. Kaya't mabuti na lang mayroon tayong programa nito. Makakatiyak tayo na ang ating mga kabataan ay ready po sila pumasok sa eskwelahan at pagkatapos ng eskwelahan ay ready po sila na maging bahagi ng ating lipunan (That's why we’re giving this careful attention. It’s a good thing that we have this program—because with it, we can be sure that our children are ready to go to school, and after school, ready to become part of society)," Marcos added.

Implemented by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the REFUEL Project supports the expansion of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) — a key initiative aimed at ensuring that no Filipino goes hungry.

Under the Program, eligible households receive P3,000 in food credits each month for 36 months via an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which can be used at accredited partner retailers to buy essential food items.  

Beyond improving food access, the WGP also empowers families through nutrition education sessions and productivity enhancement sessions that promote healthy eating, improve livelihood skills and strengthen self-reliance.

The REFUEL Project expands the WGP’s implementation nationwide from 2024 to 2027, incorporating digital technology, nutrition-sensitive interventions, and community partnerships to improve food security and bolster the country’s social protection systems.