By the end of 2024, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) shall launch a new initiative that aims to address hunger among the homeless or people living on the streets.
Before the end of the year, the Walang Gutom Kitchen will be opened. At present, the DSWD has been collaborating with some of the country’s leading private corporations, who will be donating food and other goods.
Coming Soon: Launching of Walang Gutom Kitchen
The soon-to-open Walang Gutom Kitchen is related to another DSWD initiative, the Walang Gutom Program (WGP).
Walang Gutom Program
In 2023, President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. issued Executive Order No. 44, which established the Walang Gutom Program or WGP. Basically, this is the government’s flagship program that addresses food insecurity. It seeks to make sure that vulnerable households and communities have access to adequate and nutritious food.
Specifically, the WGP targets low-income households. It provides them with Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, which can be used to buy select food commodities from partner merchants.
The WGP was piloted in five areas, covering 2,300 household beneficiaries. This year, through full-scale implementation of the program, the DSWD is aiming to reach 300,000 household beneficiaries in 22 provinces, across 10 regions. So far, more than 180,000 have already been “onboarded” to the program. Of these, more than 80,000 have received EBT cards with PHP 3000 worth of food credits each month.
Other than addressing hunger and malnutrition, the WGP also seeks to build beneficiaries’ capacities through skills training and job placement assistance. These services are provided in coordination with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).
What is Walang Gutom Kitchen?
As for the upcoming Walang Gutom Kitchen, this initiative aims to establish a “soup kitchen” for the poor before the end of 2024. Similar to the Walang Gutom Program, it aims to address hunger and malnutrition, this time among homeless individuals and families.
Target Beneficiaries
The target beneficiaries of Walang Gutom Kitchen are individuals and families in street situations, particularly those who are reached by the DSWD’s Pag-Abot Program. It will also accommodate eligible beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom Program.
Pilot Testing
The Walang Gutom Kitchen is scheduled for pilot testing in December 2024. This will be carried out in Pasay City, in a former Philippine Offshore Gaming Operators (POGO) hub that has been turned over to the DSWD.
Program Partners
The Walang Gutom Kitchen initiative is currently collaborating with some of the country’s biggest private corporations. So far, these include the following: Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI); Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines (CCFP); Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF); Nestlé Philippines; Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA); Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (RestoPH); Ronald McDonald’s House of Charities (RMHC); and Unilever Philippines.
Latest Updates
Here are some of the latest updates regarding DSWD’s Walang Gutom Kitchen initiative:
McDonald’s Conveys Support for Walang Gutom Kitchen
McDonald’s Philippines has expressed its support for the Walang Gutom Kitchen initiative, according to a DSWD press release. On September 24, 2024 the fastfood giant’s Managing Director, Margot Torres, met with DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian at the DSWD Central Office in Quezon City.
Secretary Gatchalian, together with Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, thanked Ms. Torres for supporting the program, which aims to bring nourishment to the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sectors. Also present during the meeting were: Assistant Secretary for Innovations Baldr Bringas; Pag-Abot Program Implementation Officer-in-Charge (OIC) Division Chief Jayson Oabel; and Social Technology Bureau (STB) Director Marilyn Moral, who is also the Pag-Abot Program Team Leader.
Notably, McDonald’s Philippines is the master franchise of the multinational, fastfood chain McDonald’s in the country. It is held by the Golden Arches Development Corporation, which is a subsidiary of Alliance Global Group.
DSWD, Private Companies Discuss Walang Gutom Kitchen
On October 7, 2024, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian met with key executives from the country’s leading food and beverage companies, discussing details of the Walang Gutom Kitchen initiative, a DSWD press release reported.
Secretary Gatchalian, along with Social Technology Bureau (STB) Director and Pag-Abot Program Team Leader Marilyn Moral, talked about how private companies can contribute to the Walang Gutom Kitchen. By the end of the meeting, the DSWD Chief, together with Undersecretary for Innovations Eduardo Punay and Assistant Secretary Baldr Bringas, thanked the company executives, who pledged supplies for the initiative. They are also committed to an ongoing evaluation of the different kinds of support they could give.
Joining the meeting were the following company executives:
- Cecile Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines, Inc. (CCFPI);
- Kamille Corpuz, Director, and Gina Palad, Sales Manager of Century Pacific Food Inc. (CPFI);
- Gisela Tiongson, President, and L.A. Cruzat, Director of Jollibee Group Foundation (JGF);
- Marie Angeles, Executive Director, and Margot Torres, Managing Director of Ronald McDonald’s House of Charities (RMHC);
- Jose Uy III, Head of Corporate Affairs, Nestlé Philippines Inc.;
- Minoll Alano, Operations Manager, and J. Balinquit, Administrative Coordinator of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association (PHOA);
- Eric Teng, President, Eduardo Firmalo and Oye Pores, Officers of Restaurant Owners of the Philippines (RestoPH); and
- Lavin Gonzaga, Lead for External Affairs, Joseph Fabul, Lead for Corporate Affairs, Anelle Villanueva and Hanna Laurel, Business Unit Representatives of Unilever Philippines.
Video: News Feature on Walang Gutom Kitchen
Radyo Pilipinas did a news feature on Walang Gutom Kitchen last October 8, 2024. For this segment, hosts Lorenz Tanjoco and Michael Rogas interviewed Assistant Secretary for Disaster Response Management Group (DRMG) and DSWD Spokesperson, Irene Dumlao. Here’s a video of the interview:
Contact Information: DSWD Central Office
For those who have questions or concerns regarding the Walang Gutom Kitchen, you can get in touch with the DSWD Central Office through the following contact details:
Address: Batasang Pambansa Complex, Constitution Hills, Quezon City, Philippines, 1126
Telephone: (02) 8952-0697 or (02) 8931-8101, local 513
Email: balikprobinsya@dswd.gov.ph
Website: https://www.dswd.gov.ph/
Google Map:
Final Thoughts
Hunger and malnutrition are serious problems faced by the poor, marginalized, and vulnerable sectors. Thanks to initiatives such as the DSWD’s Walang Gutom Program and the upcoming Walang Gutom Kitchen, many individuals and families are set to benefit!
Speaking of food, the DSWD also prepares relief assistance for people affected by natural calamities or man-made disasters. Check out this article to know more about the department’s Family Food Packs (FFPs) and Non-Food Items (NFIs).