Dapa: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to launch a new initiative that will promote nutrition and healthy eating habits among beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program. Dubbed as the 'Walang Gutom Kusinero: Cook-Off Challenge,' the cooking contest will be launched on Feb. 28 at the Dapa Gymnasium in Dapa, Surigao del Norte.
According to Philippines News Agency, Undersecretary Edu Punay of the DSWD's Innovations and Program Development Group (IPDG) stated in a news release that the initiative is designed to highlight the WGP as a leading program in the fight against hunger and malnutrition. It is also part of the advocacy for the social behavioral change component of the WGP, which will serve as a tool for promotion.
Punay explained that one of the conditions of the WGP is for beneficiaries to attend nutrition education sessions. These monthly sessions help them purchase and cook nutritious meals for their families. With this new initiative, beneficiaries can showcase the skills they've gained through these sessions by preparing nutritious, affordable, and balanced meals, while promoting sustainable food practices.
The cooking challenge is exclusive to WGP beneficiaries from pilot areas including the National Capital Region, Cagayan Valley, Bicol Region, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga. The contest will have three stages: provincial, regional, and national level.
For the provincial level, the WGP Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) will conduct home visitations to chosen participants for documentation of the authenticity of the cooking process. The top five finalists will proceed to the regional level, where all participants will be given 45 minutes to prepare a dish using identified ingredients.
Regional winners will represent their areas in the National Walang Gutom cook-off. At the national level, participants will have one hour to prepare a meal representing their region, incorporating a mystery ingredient into their recipe. Judging criteria include healthiness, taste, and affordability, with dishes evaluated on nutritional balance, flavor, cost-effectiveness, and the use of readily available ingredients.
The Walang Gutom Program, established through Executive Order 44, aims to reduce the incidence of involuntary hunger among Filipinos from low-income households. It promotes social and behavioral change by teaching food-poor families how to prepare nutritious, delicious, and affordable meals, with the goal of reaching 750,000 families by 2027.
