MANILA — President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is optimistic that the government will be able to sustain the newly-launched food stamp program which will run until 2027 or for “as long as we need it.”
Marcos led the kick-off activity of the Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program (FSP) in Tondo, Manila on Tuesday, July 18, where food cards were distributed to the initial beneficiaries of the program.
The national food stamp program has received close to $3 million from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for its six-month pilot implementation.
It aims to provide electronic benefit transfers that will be loaded with food credits amounting to P3,000 to purchase a select list of food commodities from accredited local retailers of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
In May, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian estimated that around P40 billion will be needed for the full scale implementation of the program.
Marcos said with the help of the ADB, the World Food Programme, and their local counterpart, the government will be able to sustain the program that intends to target the bottom one million households who belong to the food poor criteria as defined by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“In terms of funding, we will be able to sustain for as long as we need it,” Marcos said.
“It is, of course, always the dream of any government, of any leader that we are able to do something about hunger around our countries because that is the most important, the most insidious influence of our people that gets in the way of the development of each individual and thus the entire society,” he added.
With the implementation of the Food Stamp Program, will the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) be terminated?
Marcos is hopeful but it does not mean that government assistance will also stop as there will be special situations where government interventions will be needed.
“Sana. Ibig sabihin kasi ‘pag kaya na natin itigil ‘yan sasabihin natin ibig sabihin wala nang nangangailangan. Maganda talaga kung maabot natin yun. Pero kahit papano kung minsan tinatamaan halimbawa ng bagyo, tinatamaan ng peste, tinatamaan ng kung anu-ano e kailangan pa rin tulungan (I hope. Because if we terminate it, it would mean that there are no longer people in need. It would be good if we achieve that. But if there are typhoons, pests, and any other calamities, we still need to help),” he said.
“Yung 4Ps, e yun pantawid yun e. So kung hindi na kailangan magtawid ibig sabihin may trabaho na, may kaya na ang tao, kahit man lang mapakain ang sarili, ang pamilya. Sana umabot tayo sa ganun (With 4Ps, that’s financial aid. If they no longer need it, that means they already have jobs to support themselves, their families. May we be able to reach that),” he added.
The chief executive further said that there will always be an element that the government needs to provide assistance, stressing that “you will never see these programs to end.” (MB)
