Marcos: government “doing better” at feeding food-poor families

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) reported a significant decline in the number of food-poor families to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday, citing the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) in 2023. According to the PSA, the number of food-poor families has decreased from 1 million to 700,000.

Marcos expressed optimism about the improvement, stating, “We are doing a better job of feeding people who need it,” during a sectoral meeting held at Malacañan Palace.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian presented the Food Stamp Program (FSP) as a contributing factor in reducing food poverty numbers.

“When we designed this [FSP], it was at one million. So, because the number has come down, we have legroom in that area,” he noted.

Launched under Executive Order No. 44, the FSP aims to alleviate involuntary hunger in low-income households across the country. Between December 2023 and July 2024, the program covered 2,366 households, providing P3,000 worth of monthly food credits via Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards, redeemable at Kadiwa stalls and authorized stores.

As of October 16, the DSWD has identified 182,771 verified FSP beneficiaries, with 89,772 households actively redeeming food support.

To further scale the initiative, Marcos instructed the DSWD to monitor and report on the program's effectiveness with the goal of reaching one million beneficiaries by 2027. “We’re on a determined path to ensuring that no Filipino goes hungry,” he said.

In 2025, the DSWD plans to expand the program to 300,000 households, followed by an additional 400,000 in 2026 across 10 regions and 22 provinces.