The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) welcomes Malacañang’s issuance of Executive Order (EO) No. 44, which establishes the WALANG GUTOM 2027: Food Stamp Program (FSP) as a flagship program of the Marcos Administration.

“We in the DSWD are pleased to be the lead agency of this flagship program of President Marcos in achieving zero hunger in the country. Rest assured that the department will do the tasks to make this program work through the whole-of-nation and whole-of-society approaches,” Assistant Secretary Romel Lopez, who is also the DSWD spokesperson, said.

Signed on October 12 by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin, EO 44 mandates the DSWD to lead the FSP’s successful implementation.

“The DSWD shall undertake the necessary steps for the successful implementation and expansion of the Food Stamp Program including, but not limited to, the identification of eligible beneficiaries and collaboration with relevant stakeholders to ensure efficient and timely distribution and use of food stamps,” the EO emphasized.

The EO also directs the DSWD to work in close coordination with concerned national government agencies (NGAs), local government units (LGUs), and other private entities to guarantee the systematic and efficient delivery of assistance to qualified FSP beneficiaries.

“The DSWD shall engage and partner with all relevant NGAs, LGUs and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the Food Stamp Program. To this, all relevant NGAs are hereby directed, while all participating LGUs are hereby enjoined, to provide full support to, and cooperation with the DSWD to ensure the effective implementation of this Order,” the EO pointed out.

Under the guidance of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, the DSWD’s technical working group (TWG) for the FSP will lead the crafting of the implementing rules and regulations of EO 44 within 30 days upon its effectivity.

Launched on July 18 in Tondo, Manila and rolled out in Siargao Island on September 29, the FSP is a fully digitized program of the DSWD that aims to fight involuntary hunger by providing food augmentation to the bottom 1 million households based on Listahanan 3, who are classified as belonging to the food-poor criteria as defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), including pregnant and nursing mothers.

The program is set to hold its third Nutrition Education Session and fourth Redemption Day for its pilot beneficiaries in Tondo on Wednesday (October 18).

The FSP is being implemented in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), National Nutrition Council (NNC), Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), World Food Programme (WFP), Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pilipinas Kontra Gutom Movement, and the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP). #