The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has announced that the full-scale trial of the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program is scheduled for a December launch.
Edu Punay, the DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations, shared this update during the 3rd Nutrition Education Session and 4th Redemption Day for food stamps in Tondo, Manila, on October 18.
He stated, “Currently, we are in the pilot phase, targeting three thousand families across five pilot sites. We intend to ramp up the pilot implementation in December,” as cited in a DSWD statement released on Thursday.
The preliminary dry run of the food stamp program, which involved 50 families, commenced on July 18 in Tondo. In this initial phase, each family received an electronic benefit transfer card with a monthly food credit of P3,000.
These cards can be used exclusively at Kadiwa stores and DSWD-accredited groceries and small supermarkets.
Punay emphasized that Executive Order No. 44, issued by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., designating the food stamp program as a flagship government initiative, will secure funding and inter-agency collaboration to ensure the program’s success.
Source: PhilNews24 | October 19, 2023
