The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) recently held the 2024 Walang Gutom Awards. Last 26th June 2024, the department announced the “10 Champion Programs” at the Malacañang Palace, referring to select anti-hunger initiatives carried out by outstanding local government units (LGUs).
A collaboration between the DSWD and the Galing Pook Foundation, the Walang Gutom Awards seeks to honor and recognize the most innovative and effective programs that address hunger, food insecurity, malnutrition, and other nutrition-related problems.
Champion Programs at This Year’s “Walang Gutom” Awards
Let’s get to know more about each champion program! Note that the following initiatives have been chosen for their outstanding vision, implementation, and effectiveness. Programs may be classified under barangay, municipal, city, or provincial levels.
1. Reskyusi Food Basket Program
Category: Barangay Level
Location: Barangay Commonwealth, Quezon City
Problems Faced: Malnutrition and Sanitation
In 2022, the Sangguniang Kabataan of Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City started Project YES, a program designed to combat hunger and improve waste management. Eventually, this led to the launching of the “Reskyusi Food Basket Program” in January 2024. This program is run by YES-O, a registered youth organization.
Under this program, quality surplus food is collected from local markets, to be given to indigent families. Meanwhile, inedible food is converted into fertilizer. So far, this program has benefited 343,200 residents! There are 87 young volunteers who are actively involved, with more young people being trained. Amazing!
2. Gulayan sa Bawat Bakuran
Category: Barangay Level
Location: Barangay Naggasican, Santiago City
Problem Faced: Malnutrition
As the name implies, “Gulayan sa Bawat Bakuran” is a program that seeks to establish vegetable backyard gardens in every household of Barangau Naggasican, Santiago City. Composting was also done to reduce household waste.
In addition, a regular “Pabasa sa Buntis” was held in the community, with the purpose of educating pregnant mothers about parenting and the importance of nutrition for themselves and their babies.
Notably, all 1,942 households in the barangay participated in the program. It has significantly reduced malnutrition by 88%. To sustain the program, the barangay has enacted an ordinance mandating all households to maintain their own gardens.
3. SIBOL: Sustainable Interventions to Break Hunger and Zero (0) Malnutrition
Category: Municipal Level
Location: Bacnotan, La Union
Problems Faced: Hunger, Malnutrition, and Stunting
Established in 2020, the SIBOL Program seeks to address malnutrition, improve food security, and boost the salt and buffalo industries in the municipality of Bacnotan, La Union. It follows the “6M” Model: Magpakain, Magpakalusog, Magtanim, Magconnect, Magtulungan, and Magtrabaho.
The program has achieved many things: it supported the Buffalo Raisers Association (which supplies milk for feeding programs); introduced solar sea salt production technology; and launched the Barangay Residence Information System, to name a few.
Notably, in 2023, the municipality of Bacnotan received the Green Banner Seal of Compliance Award, thanks to this program!
4. Adlaw sa Danggit
Category: Municipal Level
Location: Palompon, Leyte
Problem Faced: Food Insecurity
“Adlaw sa Danggit” is a multi-sectoral, community-based program that seeks to provide accessibility, food stability, and sustainability of danggit or siganid (rabbitfish), which is a major food source in the area. It has been operational since 1998 in Palompon, Leyte.
The program promotes sustainable practices, such as: (a) raising awareness and knowledge on fishing behavior and spawning; (b) setting a “closed season” for fishing, to enable the fish to breed freely; (c) developing alternative products like danggit chips; and (d) briefing tourists on how to properly care for the environment.
Notably, these activities have helped to increase the siganid population by 35 percent. It continues to benefit not only fisherfolks, but the entire community of Palompon.
5. Intersectoral Participation: Our Way to Combat Malnutrition
Category: Municipal Level
Location: Asuncion, Davao del Norte
Problem Faced: Malnutrition
“Intersectoral Participation: Our Way to Combat Malnutrition” aims to reduce malnutrition, especially among underweight children aged 0 to 59 months in Asuncion, Davao del Norte.
The initiative’s activities include: child feeding programs, food fortification, micronutrient supplementation, hygiene and sanitation programs, adolescent health programs, livelihood assistance, and infrastructure development. There is also an “agricultural production center,” a one-stop institution for food production, featuring a rice mill, food processing equipment, and other facilities.
Thanks to this initiative, the prevalence of malnutrition in Asuncion has steadily decreased from 14% in 2008 to 1.9% in 2023.
6. Food Staples Sufficiency Program
Category: City Level
Location: Bago City, Negros Occidental
Problem Faced: Food Insecurity
In 2017, the Bago City Government established the High-Value Crops Development Program under the “Food Staples Sufficiency Program,” which seeks to ensure adequate food production through natural farming methods.
The program’s major projects include: (a) Enhanced Farmer Field School, which distributes seeds and enhances farmers’ knowledge; (b) Gulayan sa Barangay, where women established communal vegetable gardens; and (c) backyard and roadside gardens.
Over the years, the program has helped to achieve 215.70% sufficiency in rice products. Moreover, around 18,440 children aged 0 to 5 years old have shown improved nutritional status.
7. Pagka-on Aton Tatapon: A Holistic Approach to Sustainable Food Security
Category: City Level
Location: Cadiz City, Negros Occidental
Problems Faced: Food Insecurity and Malnutrition
The “Pagka-on Aton Tatapon” initiative was launched in 2011, with the aim of addressing malnutrition and food insecurity in Cadiz City, Negros Occidental. It includes various programs: infrastructure development, construction of tilapia hatcheries, Supplementary Feeding Program for kids, Gulayan sa Paaralan, and First 1000 Days Program — which focuses on the health of mothers and children.
Among the program’s achievements are: reducing the prevalence of malnutrition from 7% in 2016 to 2.1% in 2023; and increasing self-sufficiency in rice production from 47% to more than 60%.
8. Kidapawan City Agricultural Market and Trading Center (KCAMTC): A Community Engagement for Food Production and Nutrition
Category: City Level
Location: Kidapawan City, Cotabato
Problems Faced: Food Insecurity and Malnutrition
Through community engagement, the Kidapawan City Agricultural Market and Trading Center (KCAMTC) seeks to strengthen food security, combat malnutrition, and empower farmers.
Under this program, farm-to-market roads and school gardens were established, among other initiatives. So far, it has achieved: (a) increased vegetable and inland fish production for two consecutive years; (b) increased the number of fisherfolk members from 35 to more than 100; and (c) increased rice and corn production.
9. Maternal, Mental, Nutrition Recovery Family Care-Avan
Category: City Level
Location: Mati City, Davao Oriental
Problem Faced: Malnutrition
As the name implies, the “Maternal, Mental, Nutrition Recovery Family Care-avan” is a comprehensive program that seeks to address malnutrition as well as build post-pandemic resilience.
The program includes various interventions, including: 120-day supplementing feeding for malnourished children, free access to basic medical services, Kadiwa Store, swine production, farmers’ market, livelihood assistance, job matching, and many more.
10. From Garden to Table Program
Category: Provincial Level
Location: Biliran, Eastern Visayas
Problems Faced: Malnutrition and Poverty
Biliran’s “From Garden to Table Program” includes the establishment of community gardens, fruit and livestock farming, KADIWA stores, and other community initiatives.
So far, the program has accomplished: (a) decline in poverty incidence to 13.2% by 2023; (b) reduced the importation of high-value vegetables; (c) decreased malnutrition, and more.
Learn More About Each Program
If you want to know more about each of these programs, check out this Facebook post shared by the DSWD:
Final Thoughts
Congratulations to all of these programs for being champions in the 2024 Walang Gutom Awards! Let us hope that many of these would be replicated in other barangays, municipalities, cities, and provinces across the country.
Speaking of malnutrition, one of the DSWD’s initiatives that addresses this is the Supplementary Feeding Program (SFP). Check out this article to learn more about it!