All 720 students of a secondary school in Matuguinao, Samar, are beneficiaries of a free daily breakfast, while learners from remote village areas receive a complimentary lunch funded by the fifth-class municipality.

Dubbed as “Edukain” (a combination of the words “education” and “kain,” or “eating”), the program will run until the end of the school year to encourage learners to come to school daily, according to Arlyn Alegria, head of the Matuguinao municipal social welfare and development office (MSWDO).

Alegria said beneficiaries of the breakfast are students enrolled at Matuguinao National High School, while the additional lunch is for those living in remote villages.

“This program is just low-cost. Initially, the MSWDO provides a sack of rice for the feeding with some cash for a side dish from the office of Mayor Aran Boller,” Alegria told the Philippine News Agency in a phone interview Tuesday.

For breakfast, the local government will serve arroz caldo or rice porridge made with chicken, glutinous rice, and a strong flavor of ginger, garlic, and onions.

“For lunch of selected students, we will consult a dietician from the provincial government to guide our meal preparation,” Alegria added.

During the launch on Sept. 22, the local government also provided tumblers to students to encourage them to bring drinking water and avoid dehydration.

Matuguinao is a fifth-class town in Samar province with a population of over 7,000 people. The town is 105 km. from Tacloban City, the regional capital.

Currently, Matuguinao is only 30 minutes from the main road of Samar Island, more convenient compared to a four-hour boat trip from the highway in Gandara town before the completion of the road project funded through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan program. (PNA)