MANILA, Philippines – Around 600,000 Filipino food-poor families are now food secured through the government’s Walang Gutom Program (WGP), according to a two-round survey commissioned by Globe Telecom and conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS).
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian highlighted the findings during a press briefing at Malacañang Palace on Thursday, August 13, saying the results show improvements in hunger, food insecurity, and food poverty among WGP beneficiaries.
“Kaya namin ngayong sabihing 600,000 pamilyang Pilipino ang kumakain na nang tama,” Gatchalian said.
The survey covered 2,400 respondents and was conducted in two rounds, from February 24 to March 8 and from June 22 to July 1.
Among WGP beneficiaries, reported hunger declined by 6.7 percentage points, from 33.6% in the first round to 26.9% in the second, compared with a 1.4-point decline among non-beneficiaries.
The survey also recorded a 4.7-point decline in the food insecurity indicator among WGP beneficiaries, from 94% to 89.3%, while the corresponding figure among non-beneficiaries increased slightly from 95.9% to 96.5%.
Meanwhile, WGP beneficiaries who considered themselves food poor declined by 1.4 percentage points, from 79% to 77.6%, while the figure among non-beneficiaries rose from 84.4% to 85.7%.
Gatchalian said the DSWD currently has 600,000 WGP beneficiaries and plans to add another 150,000 households this year to reach the 750,000 food-poor families identified by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“Ang total na natin ngayon ay 600,000 beneficiaries,” Gatchalian said, adding that the remaining 150,000 beneficiaries are targeted to complete the 750,000-family coverage.
Launched in 2023 and institutionalized through Executive Order No. 44 in 2024, the WGP provides beneficiaries with ₱3,000 in food credits through Electronic Benefit Transfer cards.
The assistance is conditional, with beneficiaries required to attend Kalusugan, Kakayahan at Kabuhayan (3K) sessions covering nutrition, skills development, and livelihood opportunities.
“Pero this is a conditional program, sa tuwing nagreredeem sila, umaattend sila ng tinatawag namin na Kalusugan, Kakayahan, at Kabuhayan sessions,” Gatchalian explained.
The sessions teach beneficiaries how to prepare affordable and nutritious meals, while the DSWD partners with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for skills training to help beneficiaries pursue employment opportunities.
— The Summit Express
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