A community food bank offering free daily meals to Filipinos facing involuntary hunger began operations in Cebu City on Monday, with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. leading the launch and renewing his government’s pledge to ease food insecurity.
The Cebu facility becomes the second Walang Gutom Kitchen to open in the country, following the inaugural site in Pasay City that started serving the public in December 2024. Both are run by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
During the visit, Marcos walked through the kitchen to see how it runs, handed out meals, and spoke with recipients and local officials. He was accompanied by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
The kitchen prepares free, nutritious breakfast and lunch each day, serving registered beneficiaries as well as walk-in clients who arrive hungry. According to the DSWD, homeless individuals and people from other vulnerable groups are also among those who can receive immediate meals at the site.
The facility doubles as a hub for additional government services. The DSWD said it will host components of the Pag-abot Program and the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program, giving beneficiaries access to support beyond food assistance.
The kitchen operates under the broader Walang Gutom Program, the national anti-hunger campaign the government first rolled out in 2023. That program was later given a firmer legal footing through Executive Order No. 44, signed in 2024, which formalized the state’s effort to cut hunger among Filipino households.
