(Photo courtesy : Christian Turingan/ManilaPIO)
The Manila city government has rolled out a new nutrition initiative providing free fresh milk to thousands of daycare students, reinforcing its push to support early childhood health and development.
The program, called Yormilk, was officially launched on January 12 during a ceremony in Barangay 137, Balut, Tondo, led by Manila Mayor Francisco Isko Moreno Domagoso. The initiative aims to improve the nutrition of young children by supplementing their diets with fresh milk as part of their regular daycare routine.
Under the program, 21,633 daycare students across the city will receive milk three times a week, helping promote proper growth, stronger immunity, and overall well-being among Batang Maynila.
Mayor Moreno emphasized that the city is committed to prioritizing children’s health despite financial constraints, saying the local government will find ways to fund programs that directly benefit the city’s youngest residents.
The launch was attended by Vice Mayor Chi Atienza, councilors from Manila’s First District, Manila Health Department officer-in-charge Grace Padilla, and Manila Department of Social Welfare and Development Director Jay dela Fuente. Representatives from the National Dairy Authority and the Department of Health were also present.
City officials said the Yormilk program reflects Manila’s broader commitment to child nutrition and preventive healthcare, recognizing that early intervention plays a critical role in building a healthier future generation.