Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian and Cebu Governor Gwendolyn Garcia signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)  on Wednesday (July 3) that formalizes the collaboration between the DSWD and the provincial government in the implementation of the agency’s  flagship programs.

“Programs like these will not be successful without the local government. Hence, we are here to explain, to seek your support. We are here to appeal. We can end hunger in the Philippines if we work together,” Secretary Gatchalian said at the kick-off activity for the Walang Gutom information caravan in Cebu.

The Walang Gutom info-caravan aims to intensify awareness and knowledge of the general public on the DSWD’s flagship programs that include the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program (FSP), Pag-abot Program, and the Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program.

The DSWD chief explained that the three latest flagship programs of the agency will help operationalize the goal of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration to end hunger by the time his term ends in 2028.

The FSP provides beneficiaries with electronic benefit transfers that will be loaded with food credits amounting to Php3,000 to purchase a select list of food commodities.

The Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program creates a learning ecosystem wherein college students will be capacitated and deployed as tutors and Youth Development Workers (YDWs) to help improve the reading proficiency of elementary students who are struggling to read or are non-readers.

The tutoring program, which is basically a reformatted educational assistance in the form of cash-for work for college students in state universities and colleges (SUCs), is currently being rolled out in Cebu City.

Meanwhile, the Pag-abot Program aims to help, support and protect families and individuals in street situation (FISS) by providing them with appropriate interventions, including temporary shelter and transportation assistance under the Balik Probinsiya Program (BP2).

Aside from the agreement to undertake the Walang Gutom 2027 program in the province, the DSWD and the Cebu provincial government also agreed to implement the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS) for Persons with Disabilities and to establish a Regional Rehabilitation Center for the Youth (RRCY).

The DSWD chief, together with Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay and DSWD Field Office 7 (Central Visayas) Regional Director Shalaine Marie Lucero, also held an open forum with local officials and other stakeholders to address issues in the implementation of DSWD programs and services.

Other DSWD officials present in the info-caravan held at the Social Hall of the Cebu provincial capitol were Asst. Secretary for Innovations Atty. Baldr Bringas, who is also Officer-In-Charge of the National Program Management Office of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP), and Asst. Secretary and DSWD Spokesperson Irene Dumlao. #