ILOILO City – The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has issued a reminder to 43,021 households in Negros Occidental, beneficiaries of the “Walang Gutom: Food Stamp Program”, that the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards provided to them should not be used as automated teller machine (ATM) cards.
These cards are specifically designed for redeeming food packages and cannot be used to withdraw the monthly P3,000 credit, stressed Atty. May Rago-Castillo, the information officer of DSWD Region 6.
EBT card credits are strictly for purchasing food items at Kadiwa stores and other DSWD-accredited grocery stores.
“The beneficiaries are provided with EBT cards, which will be credited with P3,000 monthly for the redemption of food packages,” Castillo clarified.
The program, which began issuing the monthly allowance in July 2024, is set to continue for 36 months until 2027. It was officially launched on July 19 in EB Magalona and Victorias City, Negros Occidental.
Castillo believes that the program will significantly aid impoverished families, especially in ensuring they can afford necessary food for their families.
“This initiative is seen as a substantial boost for our communities, particularly the targeted households. It helps ensure food security and contributes to the national government’s efforts to combat poverty and hunger,” added Castillo.
The beneficiaries of the program include municipalities and component cities of Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City. The selection was based on data indicating a high number of impoverished families in the province. Beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) are not eligible for this program.
Here’s the breakdown of the 43,021 household-beneficiaries in Negros Occidental: Calatrava (1,915), Escalante City (1,781), San Carlos (3,292), Salvador Benedicto (564), Toboso (923), Cadiz city (2,461), Sagay City (2,695), Manapla (532), Bacolod City (689), Silay (1,419), Talisay (1,203), Victorias (1,002), EB Magalona (788), Murcia (1,194), Bago (2,392), La Carlota (695), Pontevedra (391), Pulupandan (232), San Enrique (188), Valladolid (314), Binalbagan (836), Himamaylan City (2,769), Hinigaran (872), Isabela (1,124), La Castellana (1,164), Moises Padilla (954), Candoni (381), Cauayan (2,384), Kabankalan (4,282), Sipalay (1,505), Hinoba-an (1,115), and Ilog (965).
Under the program, each family gets P3,000 per month on their EBT card for three years. The selection of recipients is based on household income, assets, and other factors.
The amount inside the card will be used for buying food supplies, including P1,500 for carbohydrates (50 percent), P900 for protein (30 percent), and P600 for fats, oil, and other dietary fibers (20 percent).
The cards can only be used to redeem food supplies at DSWD-accredited merchants or in local Kadiwa ng Pangulo stores.
The Food Stamp Program is a government initiative to achieve food security by addressing involuntary hunger experienced by low-income Filipino households and providing them better access to nutritious food using an EBT card.
It allows beneficiaries to buy a variety of food items, including fruits, vegetables, grains, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, and non-alcoholic beverages. Certain items, such as hot foods, vitamins, and household supplies, are not eligible for purchase with food stamps.
The program targets 300,000 households from 12 provinces in 10 regions of the country./PN
