(Photo courtesy of the Presidential Communications Office)
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Friday inspected preparations for a new Walang Gutom Kitchen in Catbalogan City, Samar, ahead of its expected opening in the first week of October.
Marcos, accompanied by Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian, toured the facility while construction work was ongoing.
The Presidential Communications Office said the kitchen is expected to serve up to 200 free meals daily, including breakfast and lunch, to vulnerable individuals and families experiencing hunger.
During the inspection, Gatchalian briefed Marcos on the facility’s layout, including the registration area, dining hall, food service section, water station, and feedback and assistance desks.
The facility will also house a Pag-abot Program Desk for counseling and immediate assistance, as well as the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program for learners needing help with reading.
The Catbalogan facility will be established through a partnership between the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Samar provincial government under the Tutok at Aksyon sa Nutrisyon Kitchen program.
Its intended beneficiaries include homeless people, street dwellers, low-income informal workers such as pedicab and motorcab drivers, and other individuals experiencing involuntary hunger.
Food preparation will be done at the Provincial Youth Development Center kitchen, while an adjacent function hall will be used for dining, meal distribution and other activities.
The Samar facility will become the fourth Walang Gutom Kitchen in the country. The first opened in Pasay City in December 2024, followed by branches in Cebu and Zamboanga in June 2026. The DSWD has said additional kitchens are planned as part of the program’s expansion.
