The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is now preparing to bring the Walang Gutom Kitchen (WGK) in the Visayas, according to a senior official of DSWD.
Undersecretary Edu Puna.y of the DSWD’s Innovations and Program Development Group (IPDG) said the Department will open the second WGK in the province of Cebu.
“Right now ay mayroon tayo rito pa lang sa Pasay City, serving NCR but starting last month up to this month, hinahanda namin yung expansion ng programa sa iba-ibang lugar. Mayroon na tayong nakitang venue sa Cebu Province,” Undersecretary Punay said in an interview over PTV’s On Assignment on Tuesday (February 3).
The IPDG official said the DSWD targets to open the food bank in Mandaue City in February.
“Bubuksan na natin ang ating Walang Gutom Kitchen sa Visayas, sa Cebu Province, sa Mandaue City to be specific,” Undersecretary Punay pointed out.
The WGK assists families in street situations (FISS) and those experiencing involuntary hunger through the donations from hotels, restaurants, and other establishments.
According to Undersecretary Punay, the DSWD also plans to establish a soup kitchen in Mindanao, and slowly scale up the initiative in areas where the incidence of involuntary hunger is high.
“We are looking into opening another one in Mindanao naman. Yun muna, isa sa Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao before we slowly scale up kung saan napakataas ng incidence ng involuntary hunger, doon natin balak itayo yung ating kitchen,” Undersecretary Punay said.
Currently, the DSWD manages the first food bank in the country and continues its operation at the Nasdake Building, a former POGO hub in Pasay City.
The WGK is the latest innovation of the DSWD aimed at addressing involuntary hunger and reducing food wastage by turning donated surplus food from hotels, restaurants, and organizations into hot meals for individuals experiencing hunger. (YADP)
