The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has given its approval for the ₱6-billion budget allocated to the government’s food stamp program, which is scheduled to be implemented in July 2024, according to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
DSWD Undersecretary Edu Punay stated that they have already held discussions with the DBM, and the department has committed to providing the necessary financial resources for the program. “We already have a working budget,” Punay informed reporters on Saturday.
The ₱6-billion fund has been included in the DSWD’s proposed budget under the General Appropriations Act of 2024, which has passed the final reading in the House of Representatives.
Known as the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program, this initiative aims to assist one million families who fall within the lowest income bracket.
The program’s pilot run, which began in July and will continue until December 2023, has already provided assistance to 3,000 beneficiaries in Tondo, Manila; Dapa, Siargao; San Mariano, Isabela; Garchitorena, Camarines Sur; and Parang, Maguindanao.
Punay shared that food credits will be distributed to 300,000 beneficiaries from July to December 2024. The DSWD will also conduct a thorough review of the program’s implementation between May and June 2024.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 23, 2023
