Local government officials in Pampanga have lauded the feeding program of Kapampangan businessman Rodolfo “Tatay Bong” Pineda, which aims to address malnutrition among school children.
The program provides meals to undernourished pupils from various cities and towns in the province for six months.
Local chief executives expressed their gratitude to Pineda for initiating the program using his personal funds for the project.
Arayat Mayor Jeffrey Luriz and Sta. Ana Mayor Dinan Labung both underscored the program’s significant contribution to their communities.
Bacolor Mayor Diman Datu, for his part, highlighted the program's impact on students’ learning.
“Napakaganda po ng programa ninyong ibinigay sa mga estudyante. Malaking tulong ito para sa kanilang kinabukasan dahil ang paniwala natin ay ‘Ang batang gutom kailanma’y hindi matututo.’ Kaya kung nakakakain ng masarap at masustansya ang mga bata, nakakatulong po kayo sa kanilang kalusugan at kinabukasan,” Datu said.
Sto. Tomas Mayor John Sambo also presented the program’s positive results in their municipality.
He cited a report from the Department of Education–Sto. Tomas District submitted by Schools Division Superintendent Anna Liza Pineda.
According to Sambo, of the 515 students across nine schools were monitored from December 2025 to March 2026. Pupils classified under normal nutritional status increased from 232 to 378.
Meanwhile, cases of severe malnutrition dropped from 77 to 19, and 146 children improved from being undernourished to achieving normal weight.
Schools that reported significant outcomes included Balangcas Elementary School and Moras Dela Paz Elementary School, which achieved full normalization of monitored learners.
San Matias Elementary School, meanwhile, maintained 134 students with normal nutritional status and rehabilitated all 26 previously undernourished learners.
“Napakaganda ng partnership na ito kasi hindi naman kaya ng gobyerno ang lahat. Sa ganitong paraan, nakakatulong tayo na isalba ang kinabukasan ng mga bata at napakalinaw ng epekto ng programa base sa mga data na binigay ng mga school heads,” Sambo said.
