The Manila City Government spent millions of pesos to fund its Nutribun program for malnourished kindergarten and grade one public school students.
On a Facebook post, Mayor Isko Moreno announced that they’re going to spend P173,000,000 to fund the said feeding program.
Nutribun feeding is part of the social amelioration program of the City Government of Manila.
Reviving the Nutribun program is one of the promises of Mayor Moreno, saying that he believes in its effectiveness to fight malnutrition.
Moreno who lived in the slums of Tondo said on his past speeches that he wanted to implement the said program because he also experienced to feel hunger while studying at school.
“Marami sa mga mag-aaral natin na pumapasok sa paaralan na walang laman ang tiyan at gutom, dala na rin siguro ng hirap ng buhay. Alam ko po ang pakiramdam na iyon sapagkat isa rin po ako sa mga batang pumapasok na walang laman ang tiyan,” he said.
“Kaya po ang pangarap natin sa lungsod ng Maynila ay maibalik ang nutribun at gatas sa loob ng paaralan,” he added.
Nutribun became popular and successful in the 1970s during the administration of former President Ferdinand Marcos.
Aside from funding the nutribun program, Moreno also announced that they’re going to spend 1.93-B for senior citizens’ allowance, P145-M for senior citizens’ birthday gift, 120-M for PWD allowance, P120-M for solo parent allowance, P29.6-M for public school and UDM Grade 12 Student allowance and P136-M for PLM and UDM College Student allowance.
The City Government of Manila allocated the biggest part of its total budget to social amelioration.