For a really effective replication of the “Balik Lusog” program in Baguio City and elsewhere, let me continue to describe its detailed implementation in the Barangay Poblacion of Muntinlupa. The model operated on a “Food Rescue Kitchen” ecosystem, balancing food safety, volunteerism, and efficient transport and logistics.  The feeding program was conducted daily during school days from January 26 to March 19, 2026, providentially coinciding with the high food inflation inflicting poor households that resulted from the US-Iran crisis.  During the first quarter of 2026, the Philippine economy suffered from the first signs of stagflation:  very low growth of 2.8 % of GDP and core inflation of close to 7%.

            Under the guidance of RnD Vilma Reyes, a rotating two-week menu was designed to maximize the nutritional value of the donated goods. The protein content came from donations from Century Pacific (tuna, sardines); Max’s Group, Inc. (chicken); and San Miguel Foundation (spam, luncheon meat).    Carbohydrates were provided by Hikiniku (cooked rice); Tangin Yaman (uncooked rice); Max’s Group) (bread);and Good Eats (snacks).  Fiber/ micronutrients came from Sari-suki in the form of vegetables.  To ensure a balanced diet, supplemental proteins and vegetables had to be purchased to fill the gaps in the donation cycles, ensuring that no food waste occurred and nutritious meals were cooked and served.  There was the constant reminder that food poverty consists not only in undernutrition but also in malnutrition and overnutrition. 

            Key to the success of a food bank is efficient logistics since donated food, except for the canned or frozen ones, must be served within hours of the actual delivery of the donated items.  As regards the raw ingredients, donated surplus food items, such as meat, vegetables, rice, etc. and other ingredients needed to prepare the meals were either picked up from the donors or delivered to the Food Bank warehouse.  Food requirements for one week were then delivered from the Foodbank warehouse to the Loaves and Fish Community kitchen.

            Cooked rice from Hikiniku at BGC, Taguig was picked up and delivered to the Loaves and Fish Kitchen.  Then the sanitized containers from the previous day’s operations at the school was returned to the Kitchen.  The cooked rice is turned into porridge to ensure food quality and safety. Cooked meals from the Loaves and Fish Kitchen (located at Filinvest, Muntinlupa) were picked ujp and delivered to the school at POBES through the volunteer work of parents  of the students of a private school called Southridge in nearby Alabang. The sanitized containers from the previous day’s feeding operations are returned to Loaves and Fish daily during the school days.  The actual feeding program was implemented through the 5 staff members of the school, 5 parent volunteers, 18 parishioners from the nearby Quasi-Parish of St. Pedro Calunsod, and 13 Southridge parent volunteers from Southridge.

            To determine the effectiveness of the Program, a final post-feeding assessment was conducted at the end of March 2026, using the following baseline indicators as reference from the School’s report:

            Weight monitoring of the beneficiaries:  The weights of all the pupils were recorded at the start of the feeding program on January 26, 2026 and again at the end of the feeding cycle on March 19, 2026 to determine any changes.  As regards academic performances, the third Periodic Test Scores served as the baseline academic indicator.  These scores were compared with the 4^th Quarter Test Scores to determine whether or not there were improvements in the learners’ academic performances after the feeding intervention.  Attendance of the beneficiaries was monitored daily during the feeding sessions to determine the consistency of participation among the learners.

            The following were the results:  95 % of the beneficiaries showed an increase in weight; one percent maintained their weight; and 4 % lost weight.  Further analysis of the attendance record showed that learners who maintained or lost weight were mostly those who had inconsistent attendance during the feeding program.  These findings indicate that consistent participation in the feeding program significantly contributed to the improvement of the nutritional status of the learners.  As regards academic performance, the comparison between the results of the third and fourth periodic test scores also showed positive outcomes of the feeding program.  Most of the beneficiaries demonstrated improvements in their test scores, suggesting that the feeding program contributed to better focus, classroom participation and readiness to learn among the beneficiaries.

 The result supports the hypothesis that proper nutrition plays a vital role in improving the learners’ academic engagement and performance in school. Before we lament too much the poor performances of our teenage students in international academic achievements tests, let us ask ourselves why we allow millions of children to go hungry in their earliest years.  In the Balik Lusog case, a third objective was achieved in addition to addressing hunger and the quality of education. A total four tons of food waste were averted, i.e. 1.8 tons of protein, 1.3 of vegetable,  and 0.9 of cooked rice, thus contributing to reduce the carbon footprint in the environment.

The next goal of the Balik Lusog program is to feed all students at the Poblacion Elementary School, from Kindergarten to Grade 6 during the School Year 2026 to 2027 for as long as possible, e.g. 60 days to the entire school year.  UNICEF’s program on nutrition in middle childhood and adolescence will be used as reference to achieve normal nutritional level by the end of the program.  Nutrition seminars will be conducted throughout the program to reach as many households as possible.  Parent volunteers will be encouraged to engage in the program as much as their time will permit them.    Insights on causes and interventions for children identified as wasted or severely wasted will be provided. 

The Balik Lusog model will be continuously refined so that it can be replicated in all the public schools of Muntinlupa. The long-term goal is to have the program adopted by analogous collaborative efforts among the Department of Education, parishes, private schools, private foundations or NGOs involved in food banking, local government units, and business establishments (especially in the food business).   Hopefully, other national government agencies like the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government will help in bringing the Balik Lusog program to all public schools nationwide.  For comments, my email address is  bernardo.villegas@uap.asia.