Government of the Philippines commits financial support following concerns expressed by bishops regarding child nutrition issues
The Philippines is taking significant steps to address a deepening crisis in nutrition and early childhood development, as called for in a recent pastoral statement by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).
According to the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM II), 26.7% of Filipino children under five are stunted, a rate higher than the global average of 22.3%. This alarming statistic has prompted the government to prioritize and fully fund programs aimed at improving the nutrition of pregnant women and children aged 0-4, expanding access to early childhood education, and establishing child development centers and early learning opportunities in every barangay, particularly in low-income communities.
In response to this call to action, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has taken several key measures and initiatives. In April 2025, over ₱1 billion was released to establish Child Development Centers in 328 local government units, with a focus on low-income municipalities prioritized by the Department of Education. As of June 2025, 182 centers have already been built.
The 2026 national budget also includes increased funding for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Supplementary Feeding Program, with an 18% increase to ₱6.1 billion, addressing child stunting and undernutrition. The education sector will receive a record ₱1.224 trillion (around US$21 billion) in 2026, with the Department of Education allocated ₱11.8 billion for its School-Based Feeding Program to provide meals for over three million primary school pupils.
The government is also implementing the Program Convergence Budgeting (PCB) Approach, an inter-agency effort to align programs and resources to eliminate duplication and maximize impact. A new PCB program for FY 2026, the Building Early Growth through Integrated Nurturing (BEGIN) Program, specifically targets stunting and aligns with recommendations from the Second Congressional Commission on Education (EDCOM2) Year II Report.
These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to fight child malnutrition, improve early childhood development, and address the learning crisis in the country. The DBM has also launched a new Child Budget and Expenditure Tagging and Tracking tool to strengthen accountability.
However, progress in addressing stunting has remained stagnant since 2000, and participation in early childhood care remains low, with just 21% of children aged three to four engaged in early learning, and even fewer among those aged zero to two. Nearly half of Grade 1 to 3 students are not prepared for their grade level, 80% of Grade 3 students struggle with basic mathematics, and 30% are not functionally literate.
Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, president of the CBCP, signed the pastoral statement, stressing that caring for children is both a moral duty and a national imperative. Despite legislation mandating the existence of child development centers since 1990, as many as 5,800 barangays (villages) in the Philippines still lack these essential facilities.
These challenges underscore the urgency of the situation and the need for continued and increased efforts to ensure the health, education, and well-being of the country's youngest citizens.
[1] Department of Budget and Management (2025). Press Release: DBM releases funds for Child Development Centers. Retrieved from https://dbm.gov.ph/news/dbm-releases-funds-for-child-development-centers/
[2] Department of Education (2025). Press Release: Department of Education receives record budget for 2026. Retrieved from https://deped.gov.ph/news/department-education-receives-record-budget-2026/
[3] Department of Social Welfare and Development (2025). Press Release: DSWD increases funding for Supplementary Feeding Program. Retrieved from https://dswd.gov.ph/news/dswd-increases-funding-for-supplementary-feeding-program/
[4] UNESCO (2025). Press Release: Philippines meets UNESCO Education 2030 Framework for Action recommended education spending. Retrieved from https://unesco.org/news/philippines-meets-unesco-education-2030-framework-action-recommended-education-spending
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