Angara pushes stronger farm-to-school links during Batangas school visit

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LIPA CITY, Batangas, 26 March 2026 — Education Secretary Sonny Angara on Thursday underscored the role of agriculture in improving student nutrition and strengthening local communities as he met with farmer cooperatives during a visit in Batangas.

Angara joined farmers, school officials, and education stakeholders in a dialogue aimed at strengthening the connection between schools and local agriculture through the Department of Education’s expanded School-Based Feeding Program (SBFP). The initiative seeks to source fresh produce directly from farmer groups while providing more nutritious meals for learners.

The school visit formed part of a multi-agency program in Batangas led by the Office of the Executive Secretary that also included the inauguration of new infrastructure projects and the opening of additional school facilities in Lipa City.

At Tangway Integrated School, Angara met with representatives from nine farmer cooperatives and discussed how local agricultural production can support school feeding efforts and help ensure a steady supply of fresh vegetables for students.

“Kinikilala natin ang mahalagang papel ng ating mga magsasaka, lalo na sa gitna ng mga hamon na kanilang kinakaharap,” Angara said. “Malaki ang ambag nila sa Expanded SchoolBased Feeding Program na mas marami nang mag-aaral ang maaabot.”

DepEd is set to launch its largest School-Based Feeding Program yet after securing a historic PhP25.6 billion budget for School Year 2026–2027, more than double the PhP11.8 billion allocated in 2025. The expanded funding is expected to support 4.63 million learners starting June, making the program one of the largest nutrition interventions in public schools of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.

Tangway Integrated School currently serves 895 learners, and its feeding program supports undernourished students through regular feeding activities using vegetables sourced from its school garden and nearby farms. For School Year 2025–2026, the school provided nutritious
meals to 121 undernourished learners, contributing to improvements in learner health, attendance, and participation in class activities.

The school is being positioned as a pilot site for a farm-to-school procurement model, which aims to allow farmer cooperatives to directly supply produce to schools. The approach is expected to create a stable market for farmers while ensuring fresh and nutritious meals for
students.

Earlier in the day, Angara joined Executive Secretary Ralph Recto and other Cabinet officials in inaugurating a four-storey, 16-classroom building at Padre Valerio Malabanan Elementary School in Lipa City, part of government efforts to address classroom shortages and improve
learning spaces.

The activities were part of the broader “Matatag na Batangas Tungo sa Bagong Pilipinas” initiative, which highlights cooperation between national agencies and local governments to strengthen infrastructure, social services, and education programs for Filipino learners and
families

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