The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project that will scale up the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) for 2025-2028 has been green-lighted by the National Economic and Development Authority – Investment Coordination Committee Cabinet Committee (NEDA ICC-CabCom).
The REFUEL Project that supports the WGP is under the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and to be co-financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries’ Fund for International Development (OPEC-FID).
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian was able to answer all the queries of the NEDA ICC-CabCom, which immediately approved the REFUEL project proposal during a meeting on Tuesday (April 15) at the NEDA Office in Pasig City.
“Ngiting Panalo! NEDA ICC – Cabinet Level approval this morning for our anti-hunger program — Walang Gutom. Let’s end hunger now!,” Secretary Gatchalian said in a Facebook post after the meeting with the NEDA ICC-CabCom.
Secretary Gatchalian was joined in the NEDA meeting by DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay of the Innovations and Program Development Group (IPDG) and IPDG Assistant Secretary Baldr Bringas.
The NEDA Board is set to deliberate on the final project proposal after the Holy Week on April 23.
As always emphasized by the DSWD chief, the WGP builds on the agency’s mission of mitigating hunger and on President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr’s vision of achieving a hunger-free Philippines before his term ends in 2028.
The WGP goes beyond food assistance—it’s about empowering families and promoting healthy diets and adequate nutrition through behavior change and nutrition education sessions, Secretary Gatchalian said in several media interviews on the program.
The WGP is currently benefiting 300,000 food-poor households across the country. The program targets to assist 750,000 food-poor families before President Marcos’ term ends.
A key feature of the program is the use of electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards which allow beneficiaries to receive monthly food credits worth Php3,000, allocated to specific food groups, that can be redeemed at partner retailers.
The program also integrates nutrition education sessions to support long-term improvements in food security and nutrition.
The DSWD is also looking at increasing the current Php3,000 monthly food credits as part of the agency’s continued efforts to combat hunger and address food insecurity across the country. (YADP)