Supporting Students, One Meal at a Time: UP Diliman’s EatSkolar Program

On August 30, 2025, Ito held a Viber video call with UP Diliman Vice-Chancellor for Student Affairs, Prof. Jose Carlo de Pano, to discuss a growing concern on campus—food insecurity among students. Many are struggling financially and are unable to afford a decent meal each day.

In response to this urgent need, the Eatskolar Program was launched in August 2025. Through this initiative, donors can sponsor a student’s weekday lunch—consisting of rice, vegetables, and protein—at the University Food Service (beside Vinzon’s Hall) for just ₱100 (approximately $1.78) per meal.

While over 400 students applied for assistance, only 53 beneficiaries have been selected so far due to limited funding.

Moved by Vice-Chancellor de Pano’s call for support, the UPAA-W Board voted on September 4, 2025, to donate $500 to the program. We also launched an appeal to our members and friends to help expand this effort.

We are thrilled to share that, thanks to your generosity, we have raised an additional $2,800 from individual donors to date. Please see the attached list of contributors.

We will be remitting the full amount of $3,300 as UPAA-W donation to the EatSkolar program.

The need, however, continues. If you would like to help, donations are still welcome and will go a long way in ensuring that no student goes hungry.

Maraming salamat for your kindness and generosity. Your support is making a real difference in the lives of our Iskolar ng Bayan.

Special thanks to Ike for diligently sending email reminders to our members, and to Fe for her careful handling and accounting of the donations we’ve received. Last but not least to Jojo Ramos for soliciting support from the PCCCF Strummers and her family. Kudos, all!

To read the original press releases on UPD’s EatSkolar program:
👉 UPD EATskolar Begins, 50 UPD Students to Get Free Weekday Meals

👉 UPD EatSkolar Update