Cagayan de Oro flood victims pack a Duterte’s Kitchen outlet in a 2017 photo after the launch of the food center in the province. Duterte’s Kitchen, a volunteer program started by President Rodrigo Duterte’s supporters in Cubao, Quezon City, has spread like wildfire. The campaign recently reached Sual, Pangasinan where at least 400 children studying in kindergarten schools to grade 1 and in Special Education classes benefited.

The project began in October 2016 when advocates behind it sought to address hunger among Filipinos as expressed in their motto, “Wala nang matutulog na gutom (No one will sleep hungry).” They began feeding hungry street children at a food center bearing the President’s name.

Dexter Araquel, national project director of Duterte’s Kitchen, said elementary pupils from Sual Central School enjoyed chicken arroz caldo (chicken rice porridge) during the project’s launching in the town.

He said they target to feed an additional 1,500 pupils from Wednesday to Thursday next week.

“We will also continue with the program feed in the barangays here every Friday until our supplies last,” he said.

Araquel added the volunteers coordinated with the local government of Sual and a local women’s group known as Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisang Kababaihan (UNA KA), the members cooked the rice porridge.

“We were inspired by PRRD’s (President Rodrigo Roa Duterte) project in Davao when he was still a mayor, wherein there was an eatery at the back of the city hall offering free rice porridge to anyone who was hungry,” Araquel said.

He added that this project awakens the spirit of bayanihan and volunteerism among those who are involved since all of them are volunteers.

Araquel said the funding for the project comes from “die-hard Duterte supporters”, mostly overseas Filipino workers (OFW), but he clarified they do not accept cash donations.

The program is the brainchild of Secretary Alfonso Cusi, following PDP meeting with key party leaders.

Duterte’s Kitchen was created to complement the party’s Social Services and Economic Development Program, as well as address Mr. Duterte’s desire to alleviate poverty and hunger in the country.

The Cubao initiative mostly serves free lugaw (rice porridge) and champorado (cocoa-flavored porridge) for breakfast, while a rice meal with vegetables or meat is given during lunch and dinner.

The supplies from the feeding program are from donors while volunteers act as the crew.

A similar program was launched in May last year in Mandaue City, Cebu. Around 200 children in Barangay Labogon in Cebu were part of Duterte’s Kitchen launch, which also coincided with the distribution of “Tatay D’s Tsinelas.”

The Cebu launching was initiated by PDP Provincial Council president Jojo Dizon, together with Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Noel Felongco.