Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Wednesday (October 16) emphasized the importance of engaging various sectors and members of the society in curbing the persistent problem of hunger and malnutrition.
“In DSWD, we continue to partner with different agencies to launch programs that will promote proper food nutrition and help address food insecurity and malnourishment. But alone, we cannot fight against hunger. We need each member of society to continuously work together (a whole-of-society approach) to break the cycle of hunger,” Secretary Gatchalian said on his Facebook page in line with the celebration of the World Food Day.
As the chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger (IATF-ZH), the DSWD leads other government agencies in the implementation of anti-hunger initiatives and ensures that these efforts will achieve results under a whole-of government approach.
The Walang Gutom Program (WGP) is among the latest innovations of the DSWD’s campaign against involuntary hunger experienced by low-income households. It has introduced the disbursement of monetary-based assistance through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards that can be used by beneficiaries to purchase select food commodities from eligible partner merchant stores.
The Department also scaled up partnerships with the private sector, recently demonstrated in the preparatory activities for the upcoming open kitchen for the poor, marginalized, vulnerable sector, dubbed ‘Walang Gutom Kitchen.”
Scheduled for pilot testing by the end of the year, the Walang Gutom Kitchen aims to raise the kitchen’s food bank from supplies and surplus food donated by food industry giants such as Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI), Coca‑Cola Foundation Philippines (CCFP), Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF), Nestlé Philippines, Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA), Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (RestoPH) Ronald Mcdonald’s House of Charities (RMHC) and Unilever Philippines, among others.
Secretary Gatchalian also campaigned for the protection of natural resources and empowerment of the agricultural sector in promoting food security.
“Let us unite in protecting our natural resources—the main source of food—support local farmers and participate in food security initiatives so we can ensure that everyone has access to nutritious food and create a hunger-free tomorrow,” Secretary Gatchalian’s post read.
