Some 2,907 beneficiaries from Lamitan, Basilan benefitted from Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom 2027 Program: Food STAMP (WGP-Food STAMP) in a redemption activity held on Thursday (October 24).

The said activity marked the second food redemption of the beneficiaries of the program where they were able to avail of affordable and nutritious food products from partner merchants and stores in the city.

No less than DSWD’s Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay and DSWD-9’s Regional Director Riduan P. Hadjimuddin led the food redemption activity together with other execs of the Department handling food security and nutrition programs.

In his message, the Undersecretary gave emphasis on the WGP-Food STAMP as a human development program that not only provides assistance but more importantly empowers the beneficiaries in food preparation and putting value to health and nutrition.

“Hindi ito basta ayuda. Tutulungan kayo nito kung papaano umangat sa kahirapan. (This is not just an assistance. This is a strategy to alleviate the poor from poverty),” Usec. Punay stressed.

He also urged the beneficiaries to attend the nutrition education sessions as this is a primordial component of the program in empowering its beneficiaries.

DSWD’s Regional Director, during his message to the beneficiaries, pointed out the contribution of a healthy body to poverty alleviation.

“Kapag malusog ang katawan, mas may energy tayo na maghanapbuhay. (When we have healthy body, we have more energy to work),” Director Hadjimuddin said.

The WGP-Food STAMP is a new program of the DSWD that provides beneficiaries with access to monetary-based assistance and nutrition education to teach them how to prepare healthy and safe meals for the family.

Beneficiaries receive Php 3,000 worth of food items that they can redeem using an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card on accredited merchants and stores. The Php 3,000 food credits is divided into 3 food groups to meet the nutrional needs of a family, to wit: Php 1,500 worth of carbohydrate-rich food; Php 900 for products rich in protein: and Php 600 worth of vegetables, fruits, salt, and other condiments.