The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is considering raising the P3,000 monthly food credits given to families under the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), in response to rising hunger levels in the country.
At a Palace briefing, DSWD spokesperson Irene Dumlao said the agency is currently reviewing the WGP’s implementation to determine whether the current amount and frequency of food credit distribution remain sufficient for beneficiary households.
“We have partners who are studying the amount that beneficiaries receive and the frequency of availment of food credits,” Dumlao said.
The announcement comes after a recent Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey showed that 27.2 percent of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger from March 15 to 30, up from 31.5 percent in December. The same poll found that 52 percent of families considered themselves poor, with hunger rising significantly among the poorest households.
Dumlao acknowledged the differences between statistical data and survey perception, noting that “PSA uses scientific indicators like annual family income and expenditures, while SWS asks for individual perception, for a short period usually a quarter.”
Currently, the WGP supports 300,000 food-poor households nationwide, with a goal to reach 750,000 families by 2027, in line with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s aim of a hunger-free Philippines by 2028.
The DSWD is also planning to expand the Walang Gutom Kitchen, a community feeding initiative complementing the WGP. Dumlao said, “We are expecting this to be finalized this April – what additional recommendations we will consider to scale up Walang Gutom Kitchen.”
