Manila: Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian announced on Thursday that 600,000 beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) have reported notable improvements in hunger, food insecurity, and food poverty, based on a two-round survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

According to Philippines News Agency, the survey, commissioned by Globe Telecom and conducted by SWS, revealed significant changes among WGP household-beneficiaries and non-beneficiary households in terms of their experiences of hunger and perceptions of food poverty. The survey involved 2,400 respondents and was carried out in two phases: the first from February 24 to March 8, and the second from June 22 to July 1.

SWS Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Gerardo 'Jay' Sandoval and SWS Research Fellow Dr. Roehlano Briones noted that hunger among WGP beneficiaries decreased by 6.7 percentage points, from 33.6 percent in the first round to 26.9 percent in the second round. In comparison, non-WGP beneficiaries experienced a smaller decline of 1.4 percentage points, from 38.3 percent to 36.9 percent.

The survey also observed improvements in food security among WGP beneficiaries, with the proportion of food insecurity dropping by 4.7 percentage points, from 94.0 percent to 89.3 percent. Meanwhile, food insecurity among non-WGP beneficiaries slightly increased by 0.6 percentage points, from 95.9 percent to 96.5 percent.

Regarding food poverty perception, WGP beneficiaries who considered themselves food poor decreased by 1.4 percentage points, from 79.0 percent to 77.6 percent. Conversely, the proportion of non-WGP beneficiaries perceiving themselves as food poor rose by 1.3 percentage points, from 84.4 percent to 85.7 percent.

Gatchalian highlighted plans to expand the WGP by adding 150,000 household beneficiaries this year, aiming to include all 750,000 food-poor families identified by the Philippine Statistics Authority.

Launched in 2023 and institutionalized in 2024 through Executive Order No. 44, the WGP is the Philippine government's primary initiative to combat food insecurity and reduce involuntary hunger among Filipino families, as directed by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

Beneficiaries of the WGP receive PHP3,000 in food credits through Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which are used to purchase nutritious food items. The program is conditional, requiring beneficiaries to attend Kalusugan, Kakayahan at Kabuhayan (3K) sessions for nutrition education and skill development.

Gatchalian emphasized the program's focus on social and behavioral change, teaching households to prepare nutritious, affordable meals and prioritize healthy diets. The DSWD collaborates with the Department of Labor and Employment and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for beneficiaries' upskilling to improve their employment prospects.