NEWS RELEASE 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲

BUTUAN CITY, February 4, 2026— 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝟲𝟬𝟬 𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝟭𝟴 𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 (𝗗𝗲𝗽𝗘𝗱) 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘄𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗹𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟮 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗗𝗿. 𝗠𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗹 𝗦. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴, 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝗩 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗼𝗳 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲𝘀, 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹-𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺.

The annual conference, spearheaded by the DepEd Central Office, in close coordination with DepEd Caraga Region, and the Schools Division Offices of Butuan City, Agusan del Norte, Cabadbaran City, and Agusan del Sur, runs from February 3 to 5, 2026.

𝗦𝗕𝗙𝗣: 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵, 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀.

Dr. Mantaring emphasized that the SBFP is a critical intervention supporting DepEd’s broader commitment to learner health and well‑being. He underscored that health is defined not merely as the absence of illness, but as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well‑being, guided by factors such as socioeconomic conditions, environment, behaviors, and access to quality care.

According to Dr. Mantaring, the alignment of SBFP with the Universal Health Care Law, which mandates schools to be healthy learning environments based on standards set jointly by DepEd and the Department of Health, and the support by inter‑agency guidelines promoting health‑enhancing school environments, are crucial for the success of the program.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝗡𝘂𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

Evidence showed that improved nutrition directly contributes to improved literacy outcomes. Data from several regions indicated that as cases of severe wasting and wasting improve, the percentage of struggling readers declines, demonstrating the strong link between proper nutrition and improved learning performance.

“Malnutrition remains a major public health and education concern,” Dr. Mantaring noted, stressing that health, nutrition, and education outcomes are deeply interdependent.

𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀

Dr. Mantaring reiterated that the SBFP aims to address undernutrition among learners from Kindergarten to Grade 6 by providing nutritious hot meals, food products, and milk. Benefits include reducing hunger and micronutrient deficiencies, improving physical resilience, boosting school enrollment, retention, and attendance, and supporting better academic outcomes.

𝗧𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝘂𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

For School Year 2026–2027, the program will implement 200 feeding days, covering the entire school year. Priority groups include all Kindergarten and Grade 1 learners (universal coverage), wasted and severely wasted learners in Grades 2–6, pregnant adolescent learners, vulnerable and marginalized learners, including those in last-mile schools, IP communities, ALS, and those at risk of dropping out. Secondary beneficiaries include stunted learners, indigent learners, and members of school sports programs.

𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀

Dr. Mantaring outlined three feeding modalities:

1. Pure Hot Meals (fresh, daily school‑prepared meals)

2. Hybrid Hot Meals + Nutritious Food Packs

3. Progressive Phasing of Nutritious Food Packs for geographically and logistically challenged areas

He also emphasized the crucial role of partnerships, including:

1. LGU-led implementation, either through billing or fund transfer arrangements

2. Engagement with NGOs, CSOs, and faith-based groups

3. Participation of the private sector through procurement opportunities.

Requirements and eligibility criteria for LGUs wishing to co-implement the program were also detailed, highlighting accountability, preparedness, and local capacity.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺𝘀

The SBFP implementation framework includes clear procedures for planning, procurement, cycle menu development, school readiness, and safe food distribution.

The program also provides:

1. Capital outlay for school kitchen upgrades

2. Procurement of essential kitchen equipment

3. Allowances for hiring additional kitchen and administrative staff

4. Other necessary operational expenses to ensure safe, nutritious, and consistent feeding delivery

𝗔 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝗪𝗲𝗹𝗳𝗮𝗿𝗲

Dr. Mantaring reaffirmed DepEd’s commitment to learner-centered and health-promoting schools, emphasizing that the SBFP is not merely a nutrition program but a foundational investment in learner development, retention, and long-term educational success.

As the National Planning Conference continues, delegates from across the country are expected to integrate these insights into regional and division plans for School Year 2026–2027

By: DepEd Caraga Public Affairs Unit

NB. The title “2025 National Planning Conference” has been retained despite the activity being held in 2026. The conference was originally scheduled for implementation in 2025; however, it was postponed due to adverse weather conditions. Keeping the original title preserves the integrity of the 2025 planning cycle and maintains alignment with the preparatory documents and communications already issued for that year.

For more information, contact (085) 221-1151, 0961-737-0873, or 0915-808-4734. Website: www.caraga.deped.gov.ph; email: caraga@deped.gov.ph; pau_caraga@deped.gov.ph.

Read related stories at these links:

#DepEdPH #NATPlanCon2025 #SBFP #SchoolHealth #LearnerWellbeing #DepEdCaraga #EducationNutrition #HealthyLearners #NutritionForLearning #DepEdPrograms #PublicEducationPH #SupportToLearners #EducationForAll #FutureReadyLearners