The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) emphasized on Thursday the importance of nutrition education in helping combat hunger and malnutrition through its Walang Gutom Program (WGP).
Speaking at the opening of the WGP Kusinero Cook-Off Challenge at the Alicia Community Center in Isabela, DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay said the program promotes both proper nutrition and behavioral change among beneficiaries through regular educational sessions.
“Gusto nating ipakita sa programang ito na mahalaga ang nutrition education sessions, kung saan natututunan ng ating mga benepisyaryo ang tamang nutrisyon, pati na rin ang mga malikhaing paraan ng paggamit ng mga sangkap na maaari nilang makuha mula sa food redemption process,” Punay said, quoting DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
WGP beneficiaries are required to attend monthly nutrition sessions as part of the conditions to continue receiving their PHP3,000 monthly food credit.
The Kusinero Cook-Off Challenge is one of the DSWD’s creative strategies to encourage healthy eating. It showcases the culinary skills of beneficiaries, who prepare dishes using ingredients sourced from the program’s food redemption system.
But beyond choosing the best cook, Punay said the event aims to underline the value of nutritious, tasty, and budget-friendly meals.
“We also want to send the message that one does not need to buy expensive ingredients to cook tasty food. Using cheap ingredients does not also mean that it is not nutritious,” he added.
The regional cooking competition featured five winning teams from the provincial round. Participants had 45 minutes to cook a dish using selected ingredients. The winning dish—ginataang suso with gabi, crispy kangkong, and dynamite—was prepared by Rosalinda Marquez and Christine Versoza from Alicia. Their team earned the highest score of 83% and will represent the Cagayan Valley region in the national finals.
Established under Executive Order 44, the WGP aims to reduce involuntary hunger among low-income households, with a goal to reach 750,000 families by 2027.