MANILA, Philippines — Can President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. fulfill his dream legacy of ending hunger in the Philippines by 2027? The government’s Walang Gutom 2027 program targets this ambitious goal by focusing on reducing hunger and food poverty nationwide.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) aims to assist at least 750,000 food-poor families over the next two years. Undersecretary Eduardo Punay shared confidence that while completely eradicating hunger remains a challenge, the program can bring hunger levels down to single digits.
Walang Gutom 2027 Program Overview
Walang Gutom 2027: Food Provision through Strategic Transfer and Alternative Measures Program, also known as the Food Stamp program, began as a study in early 2022. It aligns with one of President Marcos Jr.’s key campaign promises to reduce hunger significantly in the Philippines.
Punay described the goal as ambitious but achievable, with the DSWD collaborating with international partners like the World Food Program, Asian Development Bank, and French Development Agency to design the initiative.
Initially, the program targeted 1 million food-poor families based on 2021 Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data. However, updated 2023 data showed a reduction to 750,000 families, prompting a recalibration of the target.
“We started onboarding 300,000 beneficiaries last year and completed that early this year,” Punay said. “Later this year, we will enroll the next batch, with numbers still being finalized pending the president’s announcement in the State of the Nation Address, as budget requirements are considered.”
How Walang Gutom 2027 Works
Beneficiaries receive a P3,000 monthly food grant through electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards. These cards operate like tap cards used in public transit but cannot be withdrawn as cash or used at ATMs.
“The cards are designed for use only at accredited retailers, primarily Kadiwa outlets and local farmers,” Punay explained. “Families use the grants to purchase nutritious food baskets based on the Pinggang Pinoy dietary guidelines developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.”
The monthly food credit is allocated as 50% for rice or alternative carbohydrates, 30% for protein sources like meat or fish, and 20% for fruits and vegetables to promote a healthy, balanced diet.
The program’s beneficiaries come from the bottom tier of the DSWD’s Listahanan 3 database, classified as the “poorest of the poor” who have not yet received government aid. Social workers identify these families through home visits and assessments rather than nominations from local government units.
Future beneficiary batches will be selected using data from the PSA and the National Economic and Development Authority’s Community-Based Monitoring System, in line with Republic Act No. 11315.
Long-Term Sustainability and Support Services
The grants are planned to continue monthly for three years. After this period, social workers will evaluate if families can graduate from the program by exceeding the food poverty threshold of P9,000 monthly income.
Beneficiaries also attend nutrition education sessions monthly. These workshops teach them to prepare healthy, affordable meals and connect them to employment opportunities.
Programs from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority and the Department of Labor and Employment support this effort by offering skills training and job fairs. Local governments and other agencies also play key roles in helping families achieve self-sufficiency.
Additional Hunger Alleviation Measures
Recent surveys by polling firms indicate that about 20% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger within the past three months. DSWD notes that these surveys reflect respondents’ recent experiences and differ from its broader poverty assessments.
DSWD uses these surveys as a guide and “wake-up call” to improve program implementation further.
Aside from Walang Gutom 2027, the department runs supplementary feeding programs in daycare centers, the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which provides cash allowances for rice to 4 million beneficiaries, and support for individuals affected by disasters through various assistance programs.
DSWD Achievements Ahead of SONA
Since the president’s last State of the Nation Address, the Walang Gutom program expanded dramatically from 3,000 beneficiaries in 2023 to 300,000 in 2024, serving families through early this year.
A private sector survey reported a national hunger level decline by four percentage points among these beneficiaries, showing early success for the initiative.
“We consider this survey a positive indicator of the program’s impact,” Punay said.
For more news and updates on ending hunger in the Philippines, visit Filipinokami.com.