DSWD to increase recipients of food aid to 300K by May

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will scale up the implementation of its “Walang Gutom 2027” food assistance program and increase the number of its beneficiaries to 300,000 poor families by May of this year.

The Food Stamp Program (FSP) covers 3,000 households nationwide as of December 2023. It aims to benefit one million families by 2027.

DSWD Undersecretary Ed Punay, during the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon program, said the scaled-up target number is expected by May this year.

“(Ang) ating food stamp, Walang Gutom 2027 program, ay flagship program po ni Pangulong Bongbong Marcos mula sa DSWD, mag-scale-up na tayo [Our food stamp program, No Hunger by 2027, is a flagship program of President Bongbong Marcos from DSWD. We will scale it up this year],” Punay said.

FSP provide a P3,000 per month food credit to poor families that they can exchange for nutritious food items in “Kadiwa ng Pangulo” food stalls. The food items should include 50 percent carbohydrates, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent fiber.

An Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card containing the food credits is provided to beneficiaries, who are also required to seek jobs or undergo skills training that would help them in seeking employment.

Punay said the FSP started with an initial 100 beneficiaries from Tondo in Manila in July last year during the pilot launch. The number of recipients has increased to 3,000 families over the past months.

Punay said the current 3,000 family beneficiaries are from Tondo in Manila, San Mariano in Isabela, Garchitorena in Camarines Sur, Parang in Maguindanao and Siargao Island.

AICS

Meanwhile, Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said the DSWD started issuing last January 2 guarantee letters (GLs) under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS), instead of giving outright cash, to beneficiaries, in compliance with the existing guidelines set by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM).

A guarantee letter is a document issued by the DSWD in favor of the beneficiary addressed to service providers to guarantee the payment of services on behalf of the client, particularly their medical and burial expenses.

“The suspension of the