Matuguinao launches free lunch program for students from remote villages

In Samar

TACLOBAN CITY — One hundred students from Matuguinao, Samar are now receiving free daily lunches under a new feeding program launched by the local government to help improve nutrition and support learning among disadvantaged learners.

The EduKain program, funded by the local government, primarily benefits students from Matuguinao National High School coming from remote barangays who often travel long distances to attend classes.

Mayor Aran Boller said the local government has allocated about P500,000 for the initial implementation of the program.

According to the mayor, many students leave their homes early in the morning and arrive at school without having eaten breakfast.

“We implemented this program to ensure that students are properly nourished and able to absorb their lessons in school,” Boller said.

Under the initiative, 100 selected students receive free lunch every school day. The program complements the local government’s free breakfast project, which serves arroz caldo every Monday to more than 700 students of Matuguinao National High School.
To support the feeding program, food ingredients are sourced from local farmers. The school’s new principal is also planning to establish a Gulayan sa Paaralan this year to help sustain the initiative.

Meal preparation is handled by personnel from the Municipal Youth Development Office, parents who are beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), and members of the school’s student government.

The program is also complemented by the local government’s Libreng Sakay initiative, which provides free transportation to students from distant villages and helps ensure regular school attendance.

Implemented in partnership with the Department of Education, EduKain seeks to improve students’ nutritional status, reduce absenteeism, enhance academic performance, and encourage volunteerism within the school community.

Boller said both EduKain and Libreng Sakay are designed to help young people stay in school despite financial difficulties, reduce the number of out-of-school youth, and increase the number of graduates in the municipality.

He added that the local government’s long-term goal is to help ensure that at least one child in every family completes schooling and secures stable employment, ultimately improving the quality of life of their households.

(ROEL T. AMAZONA)