Atin Ito First Filipino Community Newspaper in Ontario
“No more hunger” — translated as “walang gutom” in Filipino — is the battle cry of the administration in its quest to eradicate hunger. It is, in past years, a tall order. However, an Executive Order (EO), issued by Malacañang on Oct. 12, 2023, puts weight on this mission, classifying the “Food Stamp Program” of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) as a “flagship program of the national government.”
EO No. 44, or “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program,” states that the DSWD, as the “primary government entity responsible for the implementation and management of social welfare development programs in the country, shall be the lead implementing agency.” It shall also “undertake the necessary steps for the successful implementation and expansion of the Food Stamp Program including, but not limited to, the identification of eligible beneficiaries and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to ensure efficient and timely distribution and use of food stamps.”
The DSWD is tasked to work with other national government agencies and local government units for the proper implementation.
It could be recalled that the President lauded the program during its launch in July 2023. He said, “Walang gutom means no more hunger. That is the dream of this administration. That is what we are hoping to achieve…by the end of 2028. We say that we have done everything to reduce hunger and poverty in our country and to be able to ensure that we can provide a good and healthy and productive life for our people.”
According to the DSWD, the Food Stamp Program aims to “decrease involuntary hunger experienced by qualified low-income families.” It works by giving them access to monetary-based assistance in the form of an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which will be loaded with ₱3,000 food credits per month. The load credits can be used by the beneficiaries to purchase nutritious food items from DSWD-accredited retail partners.
The DSWD initially said that a total of 3,000 families are targeted for the six-month pilot nationwide. It will then evaluate the results and move to the scaled-up program, which aims to reach one million families who belong to the food-poor bracket or those with a monthly income of less than ₱8,000.
The program’s implementation aligns with the Philippines’ commitment to realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 2, which aims to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030.
Complementary to EO No. 44, ending hunger is one of the objectives of the Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028, as well as the administration’s 8-Point Socioeconomic Agenda — “ensuring food security and proper nutrition in the country by providing accessible, safe, and nutritious food for all Filipinos.”
Now recognized as a “flagship program,” the DSWD faces the crucial task of promptly establishing the necessary rules and regulations and clearly defining the qualifications for program participation. Transparency and data-backed decision-making are essential to ensure that deserving beneficiaries benefit from the program, preventing its exploitation by unscrupulous individuals.
All of us need to push for the success of this program, as it marks the initial step in a long journey toward a future where hunger is a thing of the past.
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Credit belongs to: www.mb.com.ph
