In his 2024 State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Marcos said he hopes to feed at least 300,000 Filipinos in food-poor households by yearend under the recently launched “Walang Gutom 2027” program, which initially fed 2,300 families.
The initiative is part of his government’s commitment to eradicate hunger and address malnutrition among the poorest Filipino households. “The program will go on until we feed the one million most food-poor Filipinos by 2027,” Mr. Marcos declared.
The President said this is in line with ongoing efforts to promote state-funded feeding programs under the Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition in observance of the Nutrition Month this July. He noted that these programs have “yielded inspiring results thus far.”
A recent survey indicated that the expanded School-Based Feeding Program has significantly improved the physical and mental health of over half of its student beneficiaries. Consequently, the government plans to further enhance these programs in schools and day-care centers.
A critical aspect of tackling malnutrition is the ‘First One Thousand Days’ program, targeting the crucial early years of a child’s life.
To support this initiative, the 2025 budget includes a proposed new grant under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), specifically for pregnant women and mothers with children under two years old.
This grant ensures they receive additional financial aid for medical care, vaccinations, and proper nutrition.
“Closely related to these, the DOST (Department of Science and Technology) has been continuously undertaking scientific research to develop nutritious food and drinks, which can be integrated into the government’s feeding program,” President Marcos said.
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated. Originally posted with the headline “SONA 2024: Marcos to fully roll-out ‘Walang Gutom 2027’ feeding program for the poor.”
