DSWD upgrades poverty programs

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Thursday said, he discussed the different social protection programs and services of the agency during an interview with Presidential Adviser on Poverty Alleviation (PAPA) Secretary Larry Gadon’s “Larry Gadon Live” program aired on PTV-4.

“All programs of the DSWD, including social welfare, the financial assistance and development initiatives aimed at uplifting our fellow Filipinos from poverty, although not new, the President instructed that all these be upgraded.” Gatchalian told Gadon.

During the interview, the DSWD chief mentioned the scale-up of the “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program.”

“Come July, 300,000 will be the first round of scale-up, and then in the second year, it will be 600,000, until we reach one million” Gatchalian said.

Currently, the FSP program has a total of 2,285 registered beneficiaries from five pilot areas. These are Tondo, Manila; San Mariano town in Isabela; Dapa in Siargao; Garchitorena in Camarines Sur; and Parang, Maguindanao.

According to Gatchalian, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is also looking into revisiting the policy of the 4Ps to update and include additional grants to ensure that beneficiaries will not slide back into poverty.