The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is considering increasing the current P3,000 monthly food credits provided to Walang Gutom Program (WGP) beneficiaries as part of the agency’s continued efforts to combat hunger and address food insecurity.
Social Welfare Assistant Secretary and spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the department is currently assessing the implementation of the WGP to determine whether the amount and frequency of the food credit top-ups remain adequate for beneficiary households.
“We have partners working on the amount the beneficiaries receive and the frequency of availing of the food credits they receive. That’s one of the ways to check if the amount they accept is still appropriate to address the gap in the family,” Dumlao said in a mix of English and Filipino.
The WGP, which serves as the government’s flagship anti-hunger program, benefits 300,000 food-poor households nationwide. The program also aims to address food consumption gaps as beneficiaries are provided nutrition education sessions to help them understand the value of eating affordable and nutritious food.
Dumlao said the agency targets to assist 750,000 food-poor families by 2027, anchored on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s vision of achieving a hunger-free Philippines before his term ends in 2028.
According to the spokesperson, the DSWD also eyes expanding the Walang Gutom Kitchen, the latest innovation under Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian’s leadership that complements the WGP and other anti-hunger initiatives of the government.
“We are expecting that to be finalized this April, any additional recommendations we will consider for the scale-up of Walang Gutom Kitchen,” Dumlao said.