ILOILO City – Nearly 26,000 food-poor households across Western Visayas received government assistance worth up to P77.3 million for August under the Walang Gutom Program, with Iloilo accounting for the majority of beneficiaries.
A total of 25,782 household beneficiaries successfully redeemed their monthly food assistance during redemption activities conducted from August 19 to September 7.
At P3,000 in food credits for each household, the assistance represented as much as P77.346 million in purchasing support intended to help vulnerable families secure nutritious food.
Iloilo accounted for the bulk of the beneficiaries, with 17,779 households, or nearly seven out of every 10 recipients in Western Visayas.
Another 5,924 households were from Antique while 2,128 households were from Capiz.
During the redemption period, each beneficiary household was allowed to purchase up to P3,000 worth of nutritious Go, Grow and Glow foods using an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card.
The Walang Gutom Program is a flagship government initiative designed to protect food-poor and vulnerable households against hunger through monetary-based food assistance.
Instead of receiving cash, beneficiaries are issued EBT cards loaded with P3,000 in food credits every month.
The cards serve as a digital payment mechanism that beneficiaries can use to purchase eligible food products from partner merchants, including small and medium enterprises, supermarkets and outlets under the Katuwang sa Diwa at Gawa (KADIWA) para sa Masaganang Ani at Mataas na Kita.
Purchases are limited to food items recommended by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute to ensure that the government assistance is directed toward improving household nutrition.
The Department of Social Welfare and Development provides the EBT cards and loads the monthly food credits, which beneficiaries can redeem for selected commodities from DSWD-registered or accredited retailers.
The Walang Gutom National Program Management Office, meanwhile, is tasked with streamlining and harmonizing the program’s operations, implementation, initiatives and activities to help ensure that its targets and objectives are achieved. /PN