Cadiz City was among the national awardees for the second straight year of “Walang Gutom”, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s flagship program to combat hunger and malnutrition across the country.
Launched in 2024 through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Cadiz was one the 10 local government units named as inaugural winners during the awarding rites held at Malacañang Palace.
This year’s winners were announced on the last week of December.
City Social Welfare and Development Officer Irene Javelona said the recognition reflects years of coordinated work across city offices and partner agencies.
The strength of the program lies in how it was implemented at the grassroots level, Javelona said.
“What makes this award meaningful is that it reflects real work done in our barangays,” she added.
Javelona said the strong collaboration allowed the city to align programs, avoid duplication, and respond directly to the needs of families.
“Thus, this recognition encourages us to sustain these efforts and further improve our interventions so that no Cadiznon experiences hunger,” she said.
Mayor Salvador Escalante Jr. said the city’s “Walang Gutom” second victory was simply an attestation that, in Cadiz, food security remains a top priority of his administration.
“Walang Gutom always serves the foundation of our hope to address food insecurity across our city. We’re blessed with seas and lands hence, we will always harness the potentials of these blessings not to allow hunger or malnutrition to thrive in Cadiz,” Escalante said.
Through food security initiatives, the city combines nutrition services, supplemental feeding, agricultural and food production support, and education-based interventions.
These are delivered through a whole-of-government approach, ensuring that assistance is timely, coordinated, and responsive to community realities.
Escalante said the “Walang Gutom” award is not only a milestone but also a responsibility.
“The local government has committed to strengthening and expanding its hunger mitigation programs while sharing best practices that may be replicated by other local government units,” he added.
With this newest achievement, Escalante said the focus remains – to see to it that every Cadiznon family has access to sufficient and nutritious food. ||
