DSWD-10 Regional Director Ramel Jamen discusses the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program” during the third episode of Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas on June 11. (Photo: DCC/PIA-10)
ILIGAN CITY (PIA) — To address issues of hunger and malnutrition among the country’s poorest families, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is preparing to launch the “Walang Gutom (No Hunger) 2027: Food Stamp Program.”
This program is a key component of the broader Bagong Pilipinas (New Philippines) agenda, which strives to uplift marginalized communities and combat hunger and malnutrition among low-income households through essential nutritional support.
The target beneficiaries of this program are the bottom one million households identified in Listahanan 3, an information management system that creates a database of poor households.
Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, pre-loaded with food credits worth P3,000 each month for three years, will provide beneficiaries with assistance, according to DSWD-10 Regional Director Ramel Jamen. These food credits can be used to purchase approved nutritious food items from DSWD-accredited stores to prevent misuse of non-essential goods such as cigarettes or liquor.
“Ang minimum nga goods was set by the National Nutrition Council nga gikwenta ang calories needed kada family per month, kung unsa nga mga pagkaon, protein o carbohydrates and others for them to live with full of nutrition. Basic nga kinahanglan sa lawas para normal ang pagfunction niini,” he said.
(The minimum set of goods was determined by the National Nutrition Council, which calculated the required calories for each family, including the necessary intake of protein and carbohydrates to ensure they receive full nutrition. This aims to help families maintain normal health and function.)
Moreover, Jamen shared that the initial implementation of the program will take place in the provinces of Bukidnon and Lanao del Norte, where about 6,000 poor families will benefit. These two provinces were selected due to their high poverty incidence rates, making them priority areas for the intervention. (LELA/PIA-10/Lanao del Norte)
