Latest news with #WalangGutomProgram
GMA Network
3 days ago
- Business
- GMA Network
DA to supply P20/kilo of rice to DSWD-listed retailers — Sec. Gatchalian
The Department of Agriculture will supply P20 per kilo of rice to accredited retailers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development for their food program, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said Tuesday. At a Palace press briefing, Gatchalian said those classified as ''food poor'' beneficiaries usually avail food commodities from DSWD-registered or accredited retailers. Amid the government's P20 per kilo of rice program, Gatchalian said the DA would provide rice to these listed retailers. ''Remember 'yung mga food poor natin, nag-a-avail sila sa mga accredited retailers, normally mga Kadiwa ng Pangulo, mga maliliit na agriculture coops, mga MSMEs... 'yan 'yung isa pong benepisyo ng programa na 'to eh, natutulungan 'yung local economy kasi doon rin bumibili 'yung mga food poor natin na benepisyaryo,'' Gatchalian said. (Remember for our food poor, they can avail from accredited retailers such as the Kadiwa ng Pangulo, small agriculture cooperatives and MSMES... that's one of the benefits of this program, they can also help the local economy because those food poor beneficiaries usually buy from them.) ''Ang hiningi sa amin ng Department of Agriculture 'yung listahan ng mga retailer para puwede nilang supplyan noong P20/kilo na bigas. Kasi kung tatandaan niyo 'yung food credit tatlong libo 'yun, so kung bumaba 'yung cost ng mga bilihin like 'yung rice, mas marami silang mabibili. Ngayon ginagamit na nila 'yung food credits na 'yun sa mga accredited retailers. Ang magiging bagong dimension nito, susupplyan ng Department of Agriculture 'yung mga retailers na 'yun noong murang bigas,'' he added. (The DA has asked a list of retailers from us so they can supply P20 per kilo of rice. If you remember, the food credit is worth P3,000 and if the cost of commodities would be lower, they can buy more food items. They use these food credits on accredited retailers. The new dimension is that the DA will supply cheaper rice to our accredited retailers.) The P20 per kilogram rice program is currently being rolled out to vulnerable sectors, and has been recently expanded to minimum wage earners. Households of qualified beneficiaries may purchase up to 30 kilograms of rice per month. The DSWD has since implemented the Walang Gutom Program, which is a partnership between the government and the private sector, with an aim to address involuntary hunger and to help minimize food wastage in the country. The program was in line with the country's commitment to realize the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 2 to end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture by 2030. Hunger incidence Meanwhile, hunger incidence has dropped among the beneficiaries of the DSWD's Walang Gutom Program. ''Ang unang 300,000 na miyembro nitong program na ito ay nakakakain na ng maayos at unti-unti nang bumababa ang incidence ng kagutuman among the food poor,'' Gatchalian reiterated in the briefing. (The first 300,000 members of this program can eat sufficiently and the hunger incidence has since dropped among food poor.) To recall, the DSWD partnered with telecommunications company Globe and poll firm Social Weather Stations to address food insecurity in the country. A two-wave study was carried out to alleviate hunger among Filipino families. The survey result showed that the share of households experiencing hunger dropped by 4.1 percentage points from 48.7% in October 2024 to 44.6% in December of that year. The field work was conducted from October 7 to 18, 2024 and from December 1 to 10, 2024. It covered a total of 3,991 respondents from 33 provinces across the Philippines. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News
GMA Network
26-05-2025
- General
- GMA Network
DSWD, SWS, Globe partner on hunger reduction
The Department of Social Welfare and Development, telecommunications company Globe, and poll firm Social Weather Stations have partnered to address food insecurity in the country. DSWD and Globe first initiated 'Walang Gutom Program' aimed at more than just feeding families but also keeping children focused on learning, and giving parents a better chance to work and provide. The program is set to expand to 300,000 more families in 2025; 150,000 more in 2026; and reach one million households by 2027. To better understand the impact on families, Globe commissioned SWS, in coordination with DSWD, to carry out a two-wave study on hunger alleviation. The first wave was conducted from October 7 to 18, 2024, and the second wave from December 1 to 10, 2024. It covered a total of 3,991 household responses—2,011 in wave 1 and 1,980 in wave 2—across 33 provinces nationwide. 'This study proves that when the public and private sectors work together with purpose, we can make a real difference in people's lives,' said Yoly Crisanto, Globe Group Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer. 'We're honored to support efforts that not only provide digital access, but also help shape better programs through data and insight,' she added. Months after implementation, the study showwed that the program is making an impact. Among program beneficiaries, the share of households experiencing hunger dropped by 4.1 percentage points—from 48.7% in October 2024 to 44.6% in December. In contrast, hunger among non-beneficiaries increased by 6.1 points during the same period. The 10.2 percentage point gap between beneficiaries and non-beneficiaries shows the positive effect of the intervention. Significant regional improvements were seen in areas with high vulnerability. In the BARMM-Plus region—which includes the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Maguindanao del Norte, Maguindanao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay—hunger among beneficiaries dropped by 7.3 points, and in the Central-South cluster—Negros Oriental, Negros Occidental, Cotabato City, Zamboanga del Norte, and Surigao del Norte—the drop was at 5.7 points. A similar trend was observed in severe hunger, where beneficiary households in BARMM-Plus saw a marked decrease of 8.1 percentage points, the highest across all clusters. The improvements were especially felt in households where women or less-educated members were in charge of meal planning—those often hit hardest by hunger. 'Hunger is one of the most urgent challenges facing vulnerable Filipino families today,' said Linda Luz B. Guerrero, SWS president. 'This study provides clear, data-backed proof that when support is well-targeted, it works. Programs like 'Walang Gutom' help break the cycle of poverty and guide national policy toward real, measurable change,' she added. Globe is also contributing to the goals of the 'Walang Gutom Program' through its Hapag Movement, a flagship initiative that addresses involuntary hunger by providing both food assistance and livelihood support to vulnerable families. As of end-2024, the movement had already reached 120,455 families, surpassing its original 2025 target, with the help of P53 million in donations from corporate partners and Globe customers. It also enabled over 4,000 individuals to graduate from upskilling programs designed to equip them with sustainable livelihood skills.—Vince Angelo Ferreras/AOL, GMA Integrated News
