The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Western Visayas is set to launch a humanitarian initiative in July aimed at alleviating poverty and improving access to nutritious food for the region’s poorest families.
The program, targeting 30,000 impoverished families in Negros Occidental, marks the initial phase of a broader effort to support vulnerable communities across the region.
The Food Stamp Program (FSP) is a flagship initiative of President Marcos’ administration. It aims to provide essential food assistance to one million households nationwide, utilizing the Listahanan 3 database from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to identify the most in-need beneficiaries.
Lawyer Carmelo Nochete, the DSWD Western Visayas Director, highlighted the significance of Negros Occidental in the program’s implementation.
“Negros Occidental has the highest number of impoverished families in the region, which is why they are the priority for this program,” Nochete explained. “Our goal is to ease the burden of poverty and ensure families have access to nutritious food.”
Under the program, selected beneficiaries will receive an electronic card loaded with P3,000 each month, which can be used to purchase a variety of nutritious foods such as vegetables, protein, and fruits from accredited retailers, including Kadiwa stores and other DSWD-approved grocery outlets.
The initiative aims to ensure that all food items purchased meet stringent nutritional guidelines, promoting a balanced diet among the recipients.
To ensure the proper distribution and use of these food stamps, the DSWD will employ a team of validators who will verify the eligibility of the beneficiaries.
“These cards can be used to purchase well-balanced and nutritious food such as vegetables, protein, and fruits at accredited retailers like Kadiwa stores and other DSWD-accredited grocery stores. The food must meet nutritional guidelines,” Nochete emphasized.
The regional office plans to expand the program to other provinces in Western Visayas in the coming months to widen the reach and impact of the initiative.
In a statement, DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay mentioned that the FSP will be rolled out in July across 10 regions and 21 provinces, with an initial target of reaching 300,000 beneficiaries.
“This month, we have started validating and registering 300,000 beneficiaries for the July implementation. We also hired 1,000 validators in our implementation sites. Twenty-one provinces in 10 regions have been identified as priority areas,” Punay noted.
