• CHERYL G. CRUZ
The Department of Social Welfare and Development has reaffirmed commitment to combating hunger through the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) this year.
In Bacolod, the latest food redemption activity was held at the covered court of Barangay Villamonte March 26, with about 175 beneficiaries able to redeem rice, cooking oil, eggs, vegetables, fruits, and chicken, among others, the city said.
The WGP provides eligible families with electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards loaded with P3,000 in monthly food credits, the DSWD said. “These can be used to purchase nutritious food items from accredited retailers, ensuring that vulnerable households have access to adequate and healthy meals.”
The DSWD is currently serving 300,000 food-poor households, or about 1.5 million individuals, across the country by providing them with P3,000 monthly as food aid.
As the DSWD continues to scale up its hunger alleviation efforts, more beneficiaries will be enrolled across the country, focusing on areas where hunger remains a critical issue, assistant secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement, adding that by 2027, “the agency targets to assist 750,000 food-poor families, reinforcing the government’s commitment to a hunger-free Philippines.” | CGC
