Walang Gutom Program food credit assistance redemption in Sulat, Eastern Samar. Beneficiaries received 25 kilos of rice and bags containing sources of carbohydrates such as noodles, a variety of fruits and vegetables, a tray of eggs, and a kilo of beef. (Photo courtesy of MSWDO Sulat)
Hunger is not just a statistic—it is a daily reality for thousands of Filipinos, including Carlito Amosco, a 78-year-old resident of Brgy. Pagbabangan, San Julian, Eastern Samar, a small-town lottery (STL) bet collector.
According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey, 25.9 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in December 2024, marking the highest rate since the COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020. Behind these numbers are individuals like Amosco, who, despite his age, still struggles to put food on the table.
Amosco earns only through commissions, a livelihood he compares to gambling—unpredictable and never guaranteed. On a good day, he takes home 50 pesos, barely enough to cover basic needs. His wife, who washes clothes for a living, also has an unstable source of income. Often, they resort to borrowing from sari-sari stores to put food on their table. Even then, their food lacks the nutrition needed to sustain them.
When Amosco was informed that he was one of the chosen individuals to benefit from the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) in Eastern Samar, he was relieved, describing it in Waray as his family’s “lifeline.”
“Ha sakob hit tulo ka tuig, dako talaga it maihahatag nga bulig hini nga programa pagmentenar hit amon kakaonon. Mamay ka, may 25 kilo nga bugas, mayda pa bunay, prutas, ngan gulay. It nga bugas la ngani, gidaku-i na it nga bulig, kay syempre diri na it paraliton, dako na nga pakatipid. Labi na hit sugad ha amon nga diri ngani minimum it kinikita, dako talaga tak pagpapasalamat hini nga programa,” Amosco stated.
(Within three years, this program will provide significant help in maintaining our food. Imagine, you have 25 kilos of rice, plus eggs, fruits, and vegetables. The rice alone is a big help because we don’t have to buy it, which is a big saving. Especially for people like us who don’t even earn minimum wage, I’m very grateful for this program.)
Sharing this reality is Arnold Gagnao, another beneficiary from San Julian, who had benefited from the recent food aid distribution in the province. He had to give up his livelihood as a tricycle driver to become his aging mother’s full-time caregiver. Their meager income, largely dependent on her social pension, barely covers basic needs, and like Amosco he was relieved as he spoke of the program, acknowledging the vital food assistance that sustains them during these difficult times.
In Eastern Samar, a total of 7,618 households, spanning the 21 municipalities and one city within the province, have been identified as eligible beneficiaries for the Walang Gutom Program, a food stamp program launched by the Department of Social Welfare and Development in July 2024.
The Walang Gutom Program was declared by President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as the government’s flagship program to foster food security through Executive Order No. 44, aimed to address involuntary hunger among low-income populations and provide access to essential nutritional resources.
Beyond addressing hunger, the program promotes proper nutrition by providing beneficiaries with an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card loaded with P3,000 monthly.
Beneficiaries are encouraged to allocate their monthly aid emphasizing nutritional balance, with recommended spending guidelines: 50% (P1,500) for carbohydrates, 30% (P900) for protein, and 20% (P600) for fats, oils, and dietary fibers.
This structured approach ensures that recipients not only receive food but also consume a nutrient-rich diet that can improve their overall well-being.
Amosco and Gagnao were the initial beneficiaries of the program in Eastern Samar who received P3,000 worth of food, including 25 kilograms of rice, a variety of fruits and vegetables, a tray of eggs, and a kilo of meat.
Eastern Samar, alongside Leyte, Samar, and Northern Samar, was prioritized in Eastern Visayas due to its high poverty indices.
Beneficiaries were selected through a rigorous process, assessing household income, assets, and other socio-economic factors. Members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program were excluded.
The P3,000 monthly food stamp disbursements will continue until the program’s conclusion in 2027.
For Amosco, the program means stability, dignity, and hope.
“Diri na namon problema an pagkaon. Makakaon na kami kada adlaw, ngan mas masustansya pa,” he said.
(Food is no longer a problem for us. We can eat every day, and it’s even more nutritious.)
As the program continues, Amosco and thousands like him finally have what they lacked for so long: certainty in knowing there will be food served on their tables. (SEJ/PIA Eastern Samar)
