“Pinag-aaralan natin lagi kung paano pa pagagandahin ang Walang Gutom Program (WGP).”
This was emphasized by Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Sunday (June 8) when asked by radio station DZBB for updates on WGP, including the recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results showing a decline in hunger incidence among the 300,000 WGP beneficiaries.
The WGP is the flagship program of the Marcos’ Administration against involuntary hunger wherein food-poor families receive monthly Php3,000 in food credits provided by the DSWD.
Responding to an inquiry on whether Php3,000 is sufficient to cover the food needs of beneficiaries, the DSWD Chief said: “Sa pananaw namin, base doon sa huling SWS report na lumabas, sinabi mismo nila talaga, categorically sinabi, nagiging epektibo ang intervention na ito, bumababa ang kagutuman sa hanay ng food poor families na kasama sa programa.”
According to Secretary Gatchalian, the current amount is sufficient but the Department is continuously studying how to best improve the program, including the possible increase in food credits.
Presently, the WGP is serving 300,000 families who are considered food-poor or those with monthly income not exceeding Php9,000.
The DSWD targets to gradually increase the number to 750,000 by 2027, with the additional beneficiaries to be culled from food-poor families identified through the Community Based Monitoring System (CBMS) of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Under the WGP, the beneficiaries receive their monthly food credits through their Electronic Transfer (EBT) cards and purchase food items through accredited stores, retailers, and Kadiwa ng Pangulo outlets.
“Yung card na yan, ihahalintulad ko sa ATM na mayron siyang chip, so pag punta sa accredited na tindahan, pag tap don, lilitaw na mayroon silang Php3,000 halaga na food credit. Credit na pagkain, hindi siya cash para hindi magamit kung saan-saan,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
To further guide the beneficiaries, the WGP stipulates that 50 percent of the food credit is used to purchase carbohydrates such as rice, sweet potato, among others, while 30 percent is intended for protein food items and 20 percent on fibers such as fruits and vegetables.
The DSWD chief said that aside from giving food credits, an important component of the WGP is the conduct of nutrition education sessions (NES) intended to achieve a change in the behavior of the beneficiaries towards food consumption.
“Ang hinihimok natin dito si magkaroon ng behavioral change kung tawagin. Magbago yung pananaw ng mga pamilya na yan kung paano dapat sila kumakain. Ako, aminado ako basta maalat masaya na ako doon pero hindi naman pwede…healthy pleasure natin mga delata…or mga instant noodles. Di ba malasang-malasa, pero wala yan doon sa listahan [food items] na pwede nilang bilhin,” Secretary Gatchalian explained.
As the latest enhancement of the WGP, the DSWD collaborated with the Department of Agriculture (DA) for the allocation of the Php 20 per kilo rice to the beneficiaries through WGP-accredited stores.
“Sa madaling panahon, magkakaroon na [low-cost rice]. Nagkausap na kami ni [DA] Secretary Laurel, at excited rin siya na i-roll out yan. Kasi part yan ng mandato is lagi yung mga bulnerable at ito [food poor WGP beneficiaries] na yung pwede nating tawaging pinaka bulnerable sa bulnerable,” the DSWD chief said.
The allocation of the low cost rice is also aligned with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr to DSWD and all government agencies for an inclusive governance and ensure that no sectors are left behind. (GDVF)