“Free lunches will reduce inequality and promote dignity”
With hundreds of billions of pesos in taxpayer’s money lost to anomalous, substandard and ghost flood control projects in the past three years alone, not to mention those lost to private pockets in the entire six years of the Duterte regime, why not put the money instead in free lunch programs for poor students in the country?
We can cite many benefits from this. A free lunch program for pre-school, kindergarten and elementary school students from disadvantaged and poor families will lead to improved nutrition and health. It will also combat malnutrition and stunting, as one in three Filipino children under 5 suffer from stunting, which permanently affects brain development and productivity.
It will also boost physical and cognitive development. Nutrition during the first 8,000 days—from conception to early adulthood—is crucial for lifelong health and learning capacity.
Free lunches will result in enhanced learning outcomes. It will reduce short-term hunger.
Hungry children struggle to concentrate and retain information. Feeding programs improve attendance, focus, and academic performance.
It will also support long-term educational attainment: Well-nourished students are more likely to stay in school and perform better.
We can also cite the economic returns from free lunches.
This will lead to high return on investment. Every peso spent on school feeding yields up to ₱17 in economic benefits, according to global studies.
This will also result in future workforce development. Better-fed children grow into healthier, more productive adults.
There’s also social equity and inclusion.
Free lunches will reduce inequality as this would ensure that children from poor families have the same access to basic nutrition as their peers.
This will also promote dignity: Universal programs (feeding all students, not just the undernourished) reduce stigma and encourage participation.
Then there’s the impact on communities. Local economies can be stimulated as free lunch programs can source food from local farmers, boosting rural livelihoods.
Free lunches will also encourage civic engagement as civic groups—non-government organizations, businesses, and communities— often support and co-implement feeding initiatives.
But the program also faces challenges.
First among these would be budget constraints. Scaling up to cover all poor students, or all students, requires significant and sustained government investment.
The program could also foster dependency on external donors. Some programs rely on NGOs or international aid, which may not be permanent.
There are also logistical and operational issues, such as infrastructure gaps. Many schools lack kitchens, storage, or clean water, making meal preparation difficult.
There’s also food safety and quality: Ensuring nutritious, safe, and culturally appropriate meals across thousands of schools is a complex endeavor.
There are other challenges. Selective feeding could create stigma. Programs that only feed undernourished children may discourage participation due to embarrassment.
Another challenge is hidden hunger: Children who aren’t visibly malnourished may still come to school hungry and unable to learn.
Waste and mismanagement risks could lead to problems, such as poor oversight. Without strong monitoring, programs can suffer from corruption, food waste, or inefficiency.
And lastly, uneven implementation could cause some regions to benefit more than others due to political will or local capacity.
There’s the matter of cultural and behavioral barriers. There could be resistance to centralized meals. Families may prefer home-packed food or worry about dietary restrictions.
Lack of nutrition education. Feeding alone isn’t enough. Students and families need to understand healthy eating.
RA 11037 (Masustansyang Pagkain Para sa Batang Pilipino Act) institutionalized school-based feeding for undernourished children in public day care, kindergarten, and elementary schools. However, its coverage is limited to select grades and excludes high school students.
Experts and advocates argue for universal feeding to eliminate stigma and reach all hungry learners, not just those visibly undernourished. We should start it now. (Email: ernhil@yahoo.com)
