Kiko vows to pass bill for free breakfast to K-12 students 

Former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan during his visit in Cebu on Thursday. Contributed photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines – Former Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has vowed to introduce a bill in the Senate that would provide free breakfast to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Pangilinan made the announcement during his visit to Cebu on Thursday, April 10, 2025, where he attended various activities.

Pangilinan highlighted the ongoing crisis in the education sector, exacerbated by poverty, which has led to widespread hunger and malnutrition among students. He emphasized the importance of addressing these issues to ensure the overall well-being of Filipino students.

Pangilinan referred to a study showing that schools with pre-meal programs have a significantly lower dropout rate compared to schools that do not offer such programs. He explained, “And it turns out up to almost 30% less yung dropouts in schools that have pre-meals and school meal programs.”

Moreover, Pangilinan pointed out that schools with meal programs have seen a notable improvement in test scores, further highlighting the direct impact of addressing hunger on students’ academic performance. “Which means, there is a direct impact. There is a direct relationship of hunger in the quantity of learning, as well as the dropout rates,” he added.

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To tackle these challenges, Pangilinan suggested the implementation of various feeding programs in collaboration with government agencies like the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and local government units (LGUs). He also called for the creation of streamlined national policies to address these issues more effectively.

As part of his proposal, Pangilinan introduced the “Libreng Almusal” Bill, which would aim to improve both the welfare and education of children in the Philippines. He stressed that the meal program would not only benefit students but also provide a boost to local farmers and fisherfolk. Pangilinan suggested that food supplies for the program should be directly procured from local producers to help improve their income and eliminate middlemen.

“And when you buy directly from farmers and fisherfolks, it has to be good quality. And of course, farmers would earn because of added income. The government will choose, not the middleman who makes the money,” he explained.

Pangilinan said that the proposed program would address key challenges in education, food security, and income for local farmers and fisherfolk. /clorenciana