A total of 21,651 preschoolers in Manila will receive free milk courtesy of the city government under the “Yormilk: Kaagapay ng Batang Maynila sa Paglaki” program of Manila Mayor Francisco "Isko Moreno" Domagoso aimed at curbing malnutrition and foster the growth of children enrolled in public day care centers across the capital.

Domagoso led the launch of the program in Barangay 137, Balut, Tondo, on Monday, Jan. 12, together with Vice Mayor Chi Atienza and other officials of the city government.

In his speech, Domagoso cited data from the Manila Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) showing 1,593 "wasted" and "severely wasted pupils" enrolled in the city’s 467 Child Development Centers (CDCs).

In child nutrition, “wasted” and “severely wasted” refer to children who have very low weight for their height, indicating acute malnutrition, with severely wasted children falling far below healthy standards and facing a much higher risk of illness and death if not promptly treated.

“Nalulungkot ako na sa Maynila, sa Maynila mismo, sa kapitolyo ng bansa, ay lumalakas at lumalaki ang numero ng pagkabansot or stunting. Hindi dahil sa maliit ang lahi natin, kundi dahil kulang tayo ng tamang nutrisyon (I am saddened that in Manila, the nation's capital, the number of children experiencing stunting is increasing and growing. This is not because the Filipino race is small, but because we lack proper nutrition)," he said.

Under the Yormilk program, the students will receive milk three times a week for 90 days, with distribution carried out through CDCs in 436 barangays, supported by 423 child development workers, based on official MDSW records.

Domagoso emphasized the importance of milk in early childhood development, particularly for bone strength, immunity, and overall growth, noting that many families are forced by economic hardship to prioritize filling meals over nutritionally complete food.

“Mahal ang gatas. Mahal, kaya kung minsan mas nauuna nating bilhin ang mga bagay na makabubusog sa tiyan ng ating mga supling dala ng hirap ng buhay (Milk is expensive. That's why sometimes we prioritize buying things that will fill the bellies of our children instead brought by life's hardships)," he noted.

The mayor also stressed that the city opted to source fresh, locally produced milk rather than imported products, in line with food safety standards and to support Filipino farmers, in coordination with national agencies including the Department of Health (DOH), the National Dairy Authority (NDA), and partner cooperatives.

Recalling his own childhood experience, the local chief executive bared that benefiting from government nutrition programs during his early years played a role in ensuring healthy growth among children of his generation.

“Noong araw, meron kaming Nutribun at KLIM powder milk, kaya kung bakit matitigas ang buto namin at mabilis kaming lumaki (Back in the day, we had Nutribun and KLIM powder milk, that's why our bones were strong and we grew fast)," Domagoso shared, promising that the Yormilk initiative would not be a one-time effort, committing to renew the feeding cycle after every three months if necessary, even if it requires reallocating city funds.

He also reminded parents that the milk provided under the program is intended strictly for children enrolled in day care centers and is funded by public money.

Domagoso also thanked barangay officials, partner agencies, and frontline workers for supporting the initiative, expressing hope that the program would help prepare children for formal schooling and long-term development.