Laughter, warm smiles, and hearty meals filled the Walang Gutom Kitchen (WGK) in Pasay City on Thursday (September 18) as President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian joined families and individuals for lunch.
President Marcos and Secretary Gatchalian personally served plates of hot meals, comprising of rice paired with chicken, fish fillet, vegetables, palabok, adobo, and fresh fruits, before sitting with WGK clients to share a sumptuous lunch.
The WGK is one of the DSWD’s innovative programs that help realize the longtime wish of President Marcos that no Filipino family goes hungry. The kitchen is located at the Nasdake Building, a former POGO hub.
Joining the President and the DSWD chief are Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano; Undersecretary Eduardo Punay of the DSWD’s Innovations and Programs Development Group; Undersecretary Evelyn Aribon of the Office of the Secretary Group; and Asst. Secretary for Community Engagement Ulysses Hermogenes Aguilar. (YADP)
PBBM gets happy news on hunger drop during visit to DSWD’s Walang Gutom Kitchen
Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Thursday (September 18) reported to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. that hunger incidence among beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) continues to decline.
“Makikita po dito ang pagbaba ng hunger incidence from 48.7 percent in December 2024 to 41.6 percent in March,” Secretary Gatchalian said as he presented a birthday cake with a graph design illustrating the decline in hunger incidence to President Marcos during his visit to the DSWD’s Walang Gutom Kitchen (WGK) in Pasay City.
In a belated celebration of President Marcos’ 68th birthday, Walang Gutom Kitchen clients partook of the chief executive’s birthday cake along with hot meals that included rice, chicken, fillet, vegetables, palabok, adobo, and fruits.
But what WGK clients were able to enjoy most was the light banter with President Marcos and Secretary Gatchalian over lunch.
Secretary Gatchalian had earlier emphasized that the WGK and the WGP directly reflect the President’s longtime birthday wish for no Filipino family to go hungry.
“So, ngayon nag-celebrate tayo sa Walang Gutom Kitchen ang birthday ng ating Pangulo. At alam ko sinabi niya na ang kanyang birthday wish ay wala nang pamilyang Pilipino na magugutom. Patuloy tayong magtrabaho para masiguro natin na ang birthday wish ng ating Pangulo para sa taongbayan ay makamit natin—walang gutom na pamilyang Pilipino,” Secretary Gatchalian said during his visit to the WGK on September 13 to celebrate the President’s birthday.
President Marcos, in earlier remarks, also underscored that his birthday wish has remained the same throughout the years.
“Hindi naman nagbabago ‘yung mga birthday wish ko mula noong simula hanggang ngayon na naging Pangulo ako. At iyon na nga, maging maayos ang buhay ng bawat Pilipino, na maituloy natin lahat ng ating proyekto para matulungan lalong-lalo na ‘yung mga mahihirap. At ganoon pa rin hindi Talaga nagbabago: Sana maabot natin ‘yung aking – at aabutin natin – ‘yung aking pinapangarap na wala nang gutom na Pilipino,” President Marcos said in his pre-birthday message.
As of September 17, a total of 108,552 individuals have been served at the WGK since it started in December 2024.
The WGK is one of the DSWD’s innovative programs that help realize the longtime wish of President Marcos that no Filipino family goes hungry.
It aims to address involuntary hunger and reduce food wastage by transforming donated surplus food from hotels, restaurants, and organizations into hot meals for individuals experiencing hunger.
The first food bank in the country—showcasing a massive private-public sector collaboration—continues to operate in Pasay City, serving free hot meals to more families, individuals, and children in street situations. (YADP)
