For many low-income and food-poor Filipino families, ensuring that there will be food on the table is never easy. They struggle daily just to make ends meet, with some surviving on just one meal a day.

To assist these households and help realize President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s goal that no Filipino family should go hungry, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) implements the Walang Gutom Program (WGP).

Through this flagship anti-hunger initiative of the Marcos administration, the burden being endured by these families is gradually being eased—one food redemption activity at a time.

In Barangay Bagong Pag-asa, Quezon City, Nanay Venus, 44, expressed her gratitude after purchasing vegetables, fruits, meat and other nutritious food during a redemption activity held alongside a Kalusugan, Kakayahan, at Kabuhayan (3K) session at the Multipurpose Hall of Barangay Bagong Pag-asa.

“Yung ipapambili ko sana ng pagkain, magagamit ko na sa iba pang bayarin dahil hindi sapat ang kinikita ng asawa ko bilang construction worker,” Venus said.

Under the program, beneficiaries receive Php3,000 in monthly food credits on their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, intended to help them augment their household food supply and ease daily expenses.

They use the food credits to purchase nutritious and affordable food from DSWD-accredited retail stores during food redemption activities.

For elderly beneficiaries like 78-year-old Tatay Arsenio of Cabadbaran City, the program helps him save money for his medical needs. Instead of spending his money on food, he can now allot it for his maintenance medicine.

“Malaking tulong ito dahil ang budget ko sana sa pagkain ay maipupuno ko na lang sa pambili ng maintenance kong gamot,” Arsenio shared.

Similar relief is felt by Tatay Nasser, a farmer from Pikit, Cotabato, who earns as little as Php80 to Php100 a day.

“Hindi na ako mahihirapan pagkasyahin ang Php80 para sa bigas at gamot ko,” he said after redeeming food supplies.

In Tabaco City, tricycle driver Ariel Bonto highlighted how the program assists his family amid the rising fuel costs and increasing competition in the transportation sector.

“Mahirap kasi ang daming kalaban, yung mga e-jeep. Kami dito na tricycle, minsan wala nang sumasakay sa amin. Kaya sobrang nakakatulong ang programa kasi nakaka-suporta sa pang-araw-araw, mahigit dalawang linggong konsumo na rin namin,” Ariel said.

For others, the WGP became their source of hope amid personal struggles.

Gemma, 52, who is currently battling stage 2 breast cancer while also supporting five children in school, said the assistance allows her to resume buying much-needed medication.

“Isang malaking pag-asa ito sa akin bilang isang cancer patient,” Gemma shared.

Meanwhile, in Zamboanga City, 71-year-old farmer Tatay Mansito, who supports a family of 11, emphasized how consistent monthly credits have improved their financial stability.

“Buwan-buwan na kaming nakakatanggap ng commodities kaya hindi na ako namomroblema sa gastusin. Nagagamit namin ang budget sa iba pang pangangailangan—talagang napakalaking tulong ng programa sa amin,” Mansito said.

This year, a total of 600,000 households across the country will benefit from this zero hunger initiative of the Government. (YADP)