MANILA — “Wala ng gutom. Wala ng gutom na Pilipino. That is my dream, no hungry Filipino.”
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. made this vision for Filipinos as he led on Wednesday the ‘Walang Gutom Awards’ (WGA) for local government units (LGUs) found exceptional in addressing hunger in their communities.
During the occasion, President Marcos recalled an interview where he was asked what would be the first legacy of his administration.
“And it was a question that I was not prepared for. It is a question that I had not actually thought about. But the answer came to me in an instant: Wala ng gutom. Wala ng gutom na Pilipino. That is my dream, no hungry Filipino.”
The WGA led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Galing Pook Foundation hailed 17 finalists as best performing Local Government Units (LGUs) in combating hunger and malnutrition.
“To all the 17 finalists of this year’s Walang Gutom Awards, I salute you! Each of you has already won and have been included in the prestigious list of nominees,” President Marcos said as he acknowledged all 101 participants in the event.
He said the LGUs’ involvement in WGA means a lot to the national government as it aims “to put an end to hunger that has been causing suffering to the vulnerable and marginalized in the Philippines” for many decades.
“You are already Walang Gutom Champions in the hearts and minds of our people. And I hope that you will continue to sustain or even improve upon your noteworthy programs. Indeed, we need more LGUs like you to achieve our mission of “Walang Gutom” by 2027 and I pray that this year’s awards will also spur and inspire other LGUs to replicate your successes across the country,” he said.
He added the national government will seek more measures to fight hunger in the country.
Meanwhile, President Marcos emphasized the power of unity and whole-of-government approach in addressing hunger. He urged partners from the private sector, non-profit organizations, friends from the international community, and the Filipinos to be united against hunger and become a solid front of Walang Gutom advocacy.
“So, let us move forward with determination, with compassion, and with purpose to build a Bagong Pilipinas where food is not only affordable but plentiful; where every Bagong Pilipino leads a good, healthy, and productive life,” he stated.
Walang Gutom is one of the administration’s advocacies. In October last year, the President signed Executive Order No. 44 or the Walang Gutom 2027: The Food Stamp Program as one of his administration’s flagship programs.
The EO 44 provides “monetary assistance for targeted beneficiaries to purchase food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.” It also provides government with valuable data to monitor the progress of program beneficiaries. (PND)
