Milk feeding program rolls out in Laguna for 500 students in 100-day initiative

Private-backed initiative creates steady demand for local dairy producers while supporting school nutrition efforts.

A new milk-feeding program in Laguna is giving local dairy farmers a steadier market for their milk, with the private sector stepping in to help address the lack of demand beyond seasonal government feeding programs.

A 100-day-long milk-feeding program in the province has been finalized by ABI Pascual Foods, Inc., in partnership with the National Dairy Authority (NDA), the Department of Education (DepEd), and the City Government of Santa Rosa, Laguna.

Around 500 kindergarten to Grade 6 learners from Malitlit Elementary School are set to benefit from the initiative beginning in September.

According to the NDA, many dairy farmers are relying on school milk-feeding projects that last only a few weeks each year. While dairy animals continue producing milk for months, demand often drops sharply after the programs conclude, leaving some farmers with little choice but to dispose of excess milk.

Industry officials said the lack of a stable and predictable market has been one of the biggest obstacles to growing local milk production, allowing imported dairy products to continue dominating much of the country’s supply.

The initiative marks the first large-scale private sector participation under the NDA’s Private Sector-Funded Milk Feeding Program, which enables corporations to support feeding initiatives while sourcing milk directly from local producers.

The NDA hopes the model will attract more corporate participation. Because the program is a national priority, participating donors can receive incentives, including a 100% donor’s tax exemption and full tax deductibility of qualified donations.

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