Article by Yam Abejuro, UPD OVCSA.

Some of the 50 beneficiaries of the EATskolar Program for the first semester of AY 2025–2026 during the orientation. Photo by Yam Abejuro, UPD OVCSA.

Fifty selected students of the University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD) can now receive one free, complete, and nutritious meal every weekday this semester through the newly launched EATskolar program. Initiated by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs (OVCSA) in partnership with the University Food Service (UFS), EATskolar is a community-powered, office-regulated subsidy program that provides meals for priority students as a step toward easing food insecurity on campus.

For its pilot run in the first semester of Academic Year 2025–2026, EATskolar received 395 applications, but due to limited funding, the program was only able to accommodate 50 beneficiaries for this cycle. Each beneficiary is entitled to one meal per weekday from August 18 to December 16, equivalent to about 22 meals per month. The program gives priority to students with the greatest financial need, particularly those under the ‘full discount’  and ‘full discount with stipend’ categories of the Student Learning Assistance System.

Meal coupons prepared for the first batch of EATskolar beneficiaries. Photo by Yam Abejuro, UPD OVCSA. 

EATskolar is sustained through community donations using a food stub system, where members and friends of the UPD community can purchase stubs worth ₱100 each, the price of a full meal. These stubs are pooled and converted into monthly meal allocations for the beneficiaries, ensuring that students receive the number of meals they need each month. For transparency, every stub carries a unique code that is recorded, and donors may also opt to receive accomplishment reports and student stories to see the impact of their contributions.

Among the first to support the initiative was the UP Sigma Beta Sorority Diliman, which purchased more than 900 meal coupons, enough to cover nearly a month’s worth of weekday meals for all 50 beneficiaries.

During the orientation held at Alcantara Hall, Student Union Building on August 14, the OVCSA explained the guidelines of the program to the beneficiaries. They were informed that meals can be claimed on weekdays, excluding holidays, and guided on how to use their meal cards and coupons. Beneficiaries were also reminded of the rules, such as the non-transferability of coupons, and were kindly asked to share feedback and help promote the program to encourage more donations.

EATskolar is also designed as a sustainable cycle of support. After completing their term as beneficiaries, students will be given priority in applying to the Student Assistant/Graduate Assistant (SAGA) Program, enabling them to earn income to support their own meals in the following semester. This transition not only helps them sustain themselves beyond EATskolar but also opens opportunities for new batches of students to benefit from the program.

EATskolar beneficiaries lining up to receive their meal coupons and lunch boxes. Photo by Yam Abejuro, UPD OVCSA.

After the briefing, students lined up to receive their meal cards, food coupons for the remaining days of August, and #ParaSaBaon lunch boxes which they can use when claiming their meals at the UFS. Beneficiaries officially began claiming their meals on August 18, Monday.

The EATskolar Program, initiated by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jose Carlo de Pano, was envisioned as a sustainable, community-funded initiative to ensure that no student goes through their UP journey hungry. It runs entirely on community donations, with the current support for 50 beneficiaries costing about ₱110,000 per month, or ₱550,000 per semester. Expanding the program to cover all 395 eligible students would require an additional ₱759,000 monthly.

Vice Chancellor Jose Carlo de Pano delivering his message to the EATSkolar beneficiaries. Photo by Yam Abejuro, UPD OVCSA.

Despite these figures, Vice Chancellor de Pano expressed confidence in the strength of the UP community. In his closing remarks during the orientation, he reassured the students. “Kakayanin at kakayanin naman ng community, hindi kayo pababayaan ng community.”

VC de Pano’s words reflect the very spirit of the program, captured in its tagline, “Help an Iskolar thrive at UPD, one meal at a time.” EATskolar embodies the UP spirit of bayanihan, a community coming together to help students get the nourishment they need to succeed. As the program expands, it calls upon alumni, faculty, staff, students, and friends of UP to take part in this mission.

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