BGN Halts MBG Distribution During School Break; DPR Seeks Review

The National Nutrition Agency will stop distributing free nutritious meals during the school holiday from late June to July 10, ending the practice of giving students take-home packages for days off. The policy marks a shift in MBG, which will now be distributed only on active school days after previously being delivered six days a week and could be bundled for holidays. In the DPR, Deputy Chairman of Commission IX Charles Honoris asked that the temporary suspension be used for a comprehensive review of the program's governance. He cited findings from the Ministry of Coordinating Food Affairs on alleged budget waste of more than Rp1 trillion per month, and called for audits of SPPG kitchens on food safety, meal quality, efficiency and procurement.