A total of 30,599 poor households in Bicol Region will benefit from the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program.

According to Regional Director Norman S. Laurio, the program will be implemented in Camarines Sur and Sorsogon provinces this year as part of the scale-up plan.

“From the 30,599 target beneficiaries, 24,441 will be from Camarines Sur, 5,968 from Sorsogon, and 190 beneficiaries from Garchitorena, Camarines Sur as part of the pilot implementation,” he explained.

The program will provide PHP 3,000.00 worth of monthly food credits through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card in which beneficiaries can purchase food items from DSWD-accredited stores.

Director Laurio emphasized that beneficiaries have to fulfill the conditions of the program.

“To avail the food credits, each beneficiary must attend the Nutrition Education Sessions and Productivity Enhancement Sessions as well as actively participate in DOLE job fairs and TESDA training,” he said.

He also added that these conditions encourage social and behavioral changes from poor households to consume inexpensive and nutritious food.

The DSWD Field Office V has officially launched the program in Iriga City, Camarines Sur and Sorsogon City, Sorsogon from July 18 to July 19.

During the launch, 194 beneficiaries in Iriga City and 246 beneficiaries in Sorsogon City participated in the redemption.

The Walang Gutom Program is a three (3) year program with an aim to decrease the incidence of involuntary hunger by improving the availability and accessibility of nutritious food for poor households while helping address nutritional concerns.