The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is gearing up to launch a new initiative on Friday, February 28, aimed at promoting nutrition and healthy eating habits among beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), formerly the Food Stamp Program.
Dubbed as “Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge”, the cooking competition will be launched at the Dapa Gymnasium in Dapa, Surigao del Norte.
Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay said the Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge is designed to highlight WGP as a leading program in the fight against hunger and malnutrition and as part of the advocacy for the social behavioral change component of the WGP that will serve as an advocacy tool for promotion.
“As one of the conditions of the WGP, beneficiaries attend nutrition education sessions. The monthly sessions help them to purchase and cook nutritious meals for their families. With this new initiative, beneficiaries can showcase the skills they’ve gained through these sessions and demonstrate their culinary skills by preparing nutritious, affordable, and balanced meals, while promoting sustainable food practices,” Undersecretary said on Wednesday (February 25).
The cooking challenge is exclusive for WGP beneficiaries from pilot areas comprising of the National Capital Region (NCR); Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley); 5 (Bicol Region); 6 (Negros Occidental), 7 (Central Visayas); 8 (Eastern Visayas); 9 Zamboanga Peninsula; 10 Northern Mindanao; 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN); and CARAGA.
“The cook-off challenge will have three stages: provincial, regional, and national level,” the DSWD official said.
For the provincial level, the WGP Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) will conduct a home visit to the chosen participants to document the cooking process for authenticity.
According to Undersecretary Punay, Top 5 finalists will move to regional level where all participants will be given 45 minutes to prepare a dish (viand) using identified ingredients.
Winners from the regional level will be the region’s representative in the National Walang Gutom cook-off.
At the national Level, each participant will be given 1 hour to prepare a meal that represents their region. A mystery ingredient will be provided and must be incorporated into their recipe.
“Participants will be judged based on three main criteria: healthiness, taste, and affordability. Their dish will be evaluated if it is aligned with the nutritional principles of balanced meals, the overall flavor, and if the dish is cost-effective and if they utilize readily available ingredients,” Undersecretary Punay said.
The DSWD’s WGP, created through Executive Order No. 44, aims to bring down the incidence of involuntary hunger experienced by Filipinos from low-income households.
The WGP also promotes social and behavioral change among food-poor families by teaching them how to prepare nutritious, delicious, and affordable meals. #
Tagalog Version
Cooking contest, ilulunsad ng DSWD para sa mga benepisyaryo ng Walang Gutom Program
Maglulunsad ng cooking contest ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) upang isulong ang pagkain ng masustansya para sa mga benepisyaryo ng Walang Gutom Program (WGP).
Ang “Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge”, ay nakatakdang ilunsad sa Dapa Gymnasium sa Dapa, Surigao del Norte sa Biyernes (February 28).
Ayon kay Undersecretary Edu Punay ng DSWD Innovations and Program Development Group (IPDG) ang Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge ay idinisenyo upang itampok ang WGP bilang pangunahing programa na naglalayong wakasan ang kagutuman at malnutrisyon.
“As one of the conditions of the WGP, beneficiaries attend nutrition education sessions. The monthly sessions help them to purchase and cook nutritious meals for their families. With this new initiative, beneficiaries can showcase the skills they’ve gained through these sessions and demonstrate their culinary skills by preparing nutritious, affordable, and balanced meals, while promoting sustainable food practices,” sabi ni Undersecretary Punay.
Ang nasabing contest ay para lamang sa mga WGP beneficiaries sa mga pilot areas ng National Capital Region (NCR); Regions 2 (Cagayan Valley); 5 (Bicol Region); 7 (Central Visayas); 8 (Eastern Visayas); 9 (Zamboanga Peninsula); 10 (Northern Mindanao); 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN); at Caraga.
“The cook-off challenge will have three stages: provincial, regional, and national level,” sabi pa ng opisyal.
Samantala, para naman sa provincial level, ang WGP Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) ay magsasagawa ng home visitations sa napiling participants para naman sa documentation at authenticity ng pagluluto .
Sabi pa ni Undersecretary Punay, ang mapipiling Top 5 finalists ay lalaban sa regional level kung saan bibigyan ng 45 minutes ang mga contestants na magprepare ng kanilang lulutuin.
Ang mananalo sa regional level ang siyang magiging representative ng kanilang rehiyon at lalaban para naman sa National Walang Gutom cook-off.
Sa national level, bawat contestant ay bibigyan ng isang oras upang magluto ng pagkain na magre-represent sa kanilang rehiyon.
“Participants will be judged based on three main criteria: healthiness, taste, and affordability. Their dish will be evaluated if it is aligned with the nutritional principles of balanced meals, the overall flavor, and if the dish is cost-effective and if they utilize readily available ingredients,” ani Undersecretary Punay.#