‘Walang Gutom’ program to benefit 300K food-poor households

By Ma. Teresa Montemayor, Philippine News Agency

FILE: STOPPING HUNGER. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. checks a food table during the pilot implementation of the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program” at the Don Bosco Youth Center Tondo – Technical Vocational Education and Training Center in Manila on July 18, 2023. Marcos said the Department of Social Welfare and Development initiative is one of the ways to help the government realize its dream of ending hunger and poverty. (PNA photo by Rey Baniquet)

MANILA – The national government’s plan of action for nutrition will continue to stamp out hunger and malnutrition, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. said during his third State of the Nation Address on Monday.

He said the Walang Gutom 2027 program will be fully rolled out to 300,000 food-poor households across the country by the end of the year.

“One survey confirmed that our expanded school-based feeding program has had a significant impact on the physical and mental well-being of more than half of the learner-beneficiaries. Therefore, we will continue to further enhance these feeding programs in our schools and day-care centers,” he said.

The food stamp program launched in 2023 initially catered to 200,000 households.

It is expected to feed the one million most food-poor Filipinos by 2027.

Another important component in addressing malnutrition is the program for the first one thousand days or the first two years of a child’s life.

To ensure the health and nutrition of children zero to two years old from the poorest families, the Marcos administration has proposed in the 2025 national budget a new grant under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) for such purpose.

“Sa pamamagitan nito, ang isang buntis o ang isang ina na benepisyaryo ng 4Ps ay mabibigyan ng karagdagang tulong-pinansyal na laan para sa kanya at kanyang anak (Through this, the pregnant or the mother who is a beneficiary of 4Ps will be given additional financial assistance for her and her child),” Marcos said.

This help will ensure that pregnant mothers and the unborn child or young children will be seen by doctors, get vaccinated, and receive enough nutrition.

Citing the country’s poverty rate dropped to 15.5 percent in 2023 from 18 percent in 2021, Marcos noted the current percentage is lower than the pre-pandemic level of 16.7 percent in 2018.

He said the national government was able to lift almost 2.5 million Filipinos from poverty.

The number of Filipinos with no budget to buy food was reduced by over one million, he added.