Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian kicks off the Innovations Caravan in the National Capital Region at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Las Piñas City on Thursday (January 29).
The DSWD’s Innovations and Program Development Group (IPDG) led by Undersecretary Edu Punay will visit 12 regions, starting in NCR, to introduce and promote the Department’s innovative programs.
Secretary Gatchalian visited each program booth during the caravan, including the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program (TBTP), Angel Pets, Pag-abot Program, and Apo Ko: Kwento ni Lolo’t Lola, Gabay ng Kabataan.
Also present during the kick off activity were NCR city mayors and representatives, Undersecretary Punay and Asst. Secretary Baldr Bringas of the IPDG, Asst. Secretary Irene Dumlao of the Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG), and Field Office NCR Asst. Regional Director for Operations Bienvenido Jr. Barbosa. (YADP)
DSWD’s Walang Gutom cook-off underscores role of nutrition education in fight vs hunger – Sec. Rex Gatchalian
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian underscored the role of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) in addressing hunger and malnutrition as DSWD beneficiaries demonstrated how lessons learned translate into healthy and affordable meals during the Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge – National Capital Region (NCR) leg.
Secretary Gatchalian said the cooking challenge highlights how nutrition education empowers food-poor families to make informed food choices and maximize government assistance.
“Hindi natin sila binibigyan lang ng food credits. Tinuturuan din natin sila ng kahalagahan kung paano mag-prepare ng masustansya at mura na mga pagkain para sa kanilang mga pamilya,” Secretary Gatchalian said during the cook-off challenge held at the Aguilar Sports Complex in Las Piñas City on Thursday (January 29).
Under the WGP, eligible food-poor households receive Php3,000 in monthly food credits, coupled with regular nutrition education sessions that focus on balanced diets, proper meal preparation, and smart food budgeting.
Secretary Gatchalian emphasized that the nutrition education session is a key component of the WGP’s social and behavioral change strategy, ensuring that food assistance leads to long-term improvements in household nutrition.
“Itong (cook-off) ay selebrasyon ng kanilang mga natutunan over the years of nutrition education sessions kung saan ipinamamalas nila yung kaalaman nila sa food groups—yung go, grow, and glow. Alam mo importante kasi na hindi lamang natin sila binibigyan ng food credits, kundi binabago natin yung kanilang behavior o yung kanilang kaalaman sa pamamagitan ng ganitong activities,” the DSWD chief pointed out.
During the cook-off challenge, the top five provincial-level winners from the NCR competed for the regional championship.
The five cook-off challengers, who came from different barangays in Quezon City and Tondo, Manila, prepared unique dishes such as dinuguang puso ng saging, calderetang tambakol, seafood pinangat, kare-kareng bangus, and tortang kalabasa with daing flakes.
With a score of 94 percent, Kusinera Cristina Dakendek and Assistant Kusinera Rosalie Mata of Barangay Bahay Pag-asa, Quezon City were hailed as NCR regional champions. Their winning dish was dinuguang puso ng saging.
“It rewards creativity lalong lalo na pag na-employ mo yung mga natutunan mo sa nutrition education sessions, na ano ba ang kahalagahan ng go, grow, and glow foods o yung balanced diet,” Secretary Gatchalian pointed out.
“In fact, yung mga celebrity chefs natin na judges, manghang-mangha sila na pwede palang magkaroon ng dinuguan na gamit ay puso saging, ‘yun yung nanalo ngayong araw na ito,” the DSWD chief added.
Kusinera Cristina thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and the entire DSWD for reaching out to poor Filipinos like their household and bringing government programs to them.
“Ngayon po nanalo ako, thank you, thank you so much lalo at higit sa lahat, sa DSWD at Walang Gutom Program, at yung may akda nito na si President Marcos Jr. Thank you po sa ganitong patimpalak dahil nakakasama po ang mahihirap na kagaya ko. Hindi po ito maliit na halaga, napaka laking halaga po nito para sa akin. Sana po ganito na binababaan ninyo yung mga nasa laylayan na nangangailangan ng tulong,” Cristina shared.
The regional champion received Php10,000 in cash, livelihood grants under the DSWD’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP), and a Masflex cookware set.
The dishes were judged by Chef Marky Bartolome, Chef Regina Patricia Cojuangco-Gonzales, Chef Rolando Laudico, Connh Crus, and Rafael John Maclang.
The “Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge” is one of the advocacy strategies of the DSWD to promote nutrition education, sustainable food practices, and informed food choices among food-poor families, in support of the Marcos administration’s goal to reduce involuntary hunger nationwide. (YADP)
