CEBU CITY – The "Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program" of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)-Region VII has listed and verified some 32,445 beneficiaries from Cebu and Negros Oriental, as of May 2025, with Cebu having 13,619 and 18,826 for Negros Oriental.
According to Leah Quintana, DSWD-7 regional information Officer, the DSWD continues to strengthen and enhance the fight against hunger through the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp” under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program that aims to link community-based organizations (CBOs) to institutional markets.
“The program beneficiaries were identified through
the Listahanan 3 Database of the National Household Targeting System for
Poverty Reduction, focusing on Filipino families earning 8,739 or less per
month who are not part of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps),”
Quintana bared.
Through the strong collaboration between EPAHP and the Walang Gutom Program, 20 CBOs are now actively participating in the program that include local farmers and producers that directly supply food items to the beneficiaries, Quintana said.
The number of beneficiaries that the retailers can cater to depends on their capacity to supply, she added and currently, there are 73 local government units (LGUs) implementing the “Walang Gutom” program, comprising 48 in Cebu and 25 in Negros Oriental.
DSWD-7 has already engaged with 102 accredited partner retailers across Cebu and Negros Oriental with 40 of them located in Cebu and 62 are in Negros Oriental. These retailers serve Walang Gutom Program beneficiaries in the two provinces to ensure consistent access to nutritious food for food-poor or economically disadvantaged families; and reinforcing the government’s commitment to food security and inclusive development across the country, Quintana added.
NNC’s 51st Nutrition Month calls for nutrition security
Meanwhile, the National Nutrition Council (NNC)-Region VII launched the observance of the 51st Nutrition Month to kick off on July 1 with the theme, "Food at Nutrition Security, Maging Priority! Sapat na Pagkain, Karapatan Natin!" during the NNC7- Media in Nutrition Development (MIND7) meeting on June 20.
"We want to empower communities, LGUs, and stakeholders across Central Visayas to treat food and nutrition security as a shared priority and responsibility. This campaign is a call to action for policy reform, stronger multi-sectoral programs, and inclusive solutions that ensure no one is left behind,” NNC VII Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator, Dr. Parolita Mission said.
Throughout July, various activities will be conducted across the region such as Nutrition caravans and health forums; various theme-based contests; quad media campaigns for key messages and recognition of local government units implementing outstanding nutrition programs, Mission bared.
"Let's make nutrition a priority, not only
this month but every day of the year," Dr. Mission said. (Photos: NNC7)
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