GENERAL SANTOS CITY (PIA) — Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian outlined President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s groundbreaking initiative called “Walang Gutom 2027” to eradicate hunger in the Philippines by ending food insecurity nationwide.
“Isa sa kanyang mga flagship program ay wakasan ang kagutuman [One of the President’s flagship programs is to end hunger] once and for all,” Secretary Gatchalian declared during an interview on June 21 at the Greenleaf Hotel in General Santos City.
“Walang pangulo ang nagsabi boldly na wawakasan niya ang kagutuman, at ang ating pangulo sinabi niya. Hindi na lang pangarap, noong tumatakbo siya, pangarap niya tapusin ang kagutuman, ngayon ginagawa na,” he went on to say.
(No other president has boldly proclaimed their intent to eliminate hunger, but our president has. It is no longer just a dream. When he was campaigning, he dreamed of ending hunger, and now he is making it a reality.)
The “Walang Gutom 2027” initiative introduced a food stamp program aimed at the country’s poorest families, which was first mentioned during the President’s State of the Nation Address (SONA) last year.
Gatchalian clarified that this program will support approximately 1.6 million food-poor families, with 1 million beneficiaries set to receive “food credits” instead of cash.
The secretary stated in his speech that beneficiaries can use these food credits, valued at 3,000 pesos per month, to buy necessary food items from participating retailers.
He added that the food items fall into categories like carbohydrates (50%), proteins (30%), and dietary fats (20%).
This system, according to him, aligned with the “Pinggang Pinoy” nutritional guidelines, preventing misuse while also promoting balanced diets.
“We’re not even talking about them being able to buy clothes or shelter; ‘yung food on the table lang, walang wala na [just having food on the table is already a challenge],” Gatchalian said, underscoring the dire need for the program.
The DSWD’s “Walang Gutom 2027” initiative is modeled after successful food stamp programs in the United States and has been piloted in various regions, including parts of Parang in Maguindanao del Norte.
Gatchalian noted that the pilot phase, which involved 5,000 families across five areas, has come to an end, helping to alleviate the food poverty faced by 1.6 million families.
The program will scale up starting in July to support 300,000 families in its first year, another 300,000 in its second year, and 400,000 in its third year, ultimately supporting one million families with food challenges. (HJF – PIA SarGen)
