Photo courtesy of PNA
About 50,000 families in the Negros Island Region are now covered by the government’s Walang Gutom Food Stamp Program, the Department of Social Welfare and Development said Thursday.
DSWD-NIR Director Arvin Razo said around 20,000 of the beneficiaries are from Negros Oriental.
Razo said the program, now on its second year nationwide, is being implemented for the first time in the newly created region.
Qualified beneficiaries receive Php 3,000 in monthly food credits that may be used to buy nutritious food, including fruits, from accredited retailers.
Razo said the program is one of President Marcos’ flagship initiatives to help ensure that Filipino families have access to food.
To promote the program, DSWD-NIR held an Innovation Caravan and Walang Gutom Cook-Off Challenge in Dumaguete City as part of Nutrition Month.
Five teams from different local government units joined the cook-off, with the winning group set to represent the region in the national competition.
DSWD officials said the program forms part of a broader government push against poverty and hunger, with agencies directed to work closely with local governments to improve the delivery of assistance to poor and vulnerable communities.