CATARMAN, Northern Samar– About 2,800 families in Northern Samar have enrolled in the government’s anti-hunger program called “Walang Gutom,” which has been active since 2024 under the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
Joshua Pachoco, provincial program focal person and community engagement coordinator, stated that the Walang Gutom program aims to alleviate involuntary hunger among vulnerable groups such as senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents, who are the primary beneficiaries.
Beneficiaries received a P3,000 monthly food subsidy via an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The amount was allocated according to specific food categories: P1,500 for Go foods, a designated budget for Grow foods, and P600 for Glow foods, following the program’s food distribution guidelines.
Nelly Balanquit, one of the beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We are now free from debts because, before Walang Gutom, we often had to borrow money to buy rice and canned goods using our senior benefits.”
Meanwhile, Lilia Acibar from Brgy. Bantayan, San Roque, Northern Samar, shared her positive experience, saying, “Walang Gutom assured us that no day would go by with an empty stomach. We can now save rice for at least two weeks and occasionally enjoy treats like pork or chicken, something we rarely tasted before. Thank you so much.”
According to Pachoco, these beneficiaries were selected from the Listahanan database, a national household targeting system for poverty reduction conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2018-2019.
To continue receiving benefits, beneficiaries are required to attend monthly nutrition education sessions led by trained Barangay Nutrition Scholars, where they learn about nutrition and health habits.
Pachoco also assured that more beneficiaries would be identified and enrolled before the end of the year to expand the program’s reach.
(AND, PIA Northern Samar)
