Roxas city: The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has expanded the implementation of its anti-poverty initiative, the Walang Gutom or Food Stamp Program, with the inclusion of 15 local government units (LGUs) in Antique and Capiz provinces this year.
According to Philippines News Agency, the expansion covered one island municipality in Antique and 14 in Capiz, while it is being sustained in 35 LGUs in Iloilo. Therese Fely Legaste, DSWD regional information officer, stated that there are 14,340 targets for verification, out of which 11,353 have been verified. The verified beneficiaries include 2,194 from Antique, 6,737 from Iloilo, and 2,393 from Capiz.
The program's expansion includes Roxas City and the municipalities of Dumalag, Dumarao, Jamindan, Maayon, Mambusao, Pilar, Pontevedra, President Roxas, Sapian, Tapaz, Ivisan, and Panay. In Antique, it has been extended to the island municipality of Caluya. It should be noted that households already enrolled in the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program are excluded from this initiative.
DSWD Western Visayas Regional Director Joselito Estember announced that redemption under the program began last week and is ongoing in the provinces of Capiz and Antique. He emphasized the DSWD's verification mechanism to prevent duplication of recipients. The list of beneficiaries, sourced from the DSWD Central Office, is based on data from the Community-Based Monitoring System conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority.
Beneficiaries receive PHP3,000 worth of monthly food credits via Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, which can be used to purchase essential food items. Accredited retailers supply carbohydrates, protein sources, and fiber-rich products to ensure adequate and nutritious food intake. The national project management office approves retailers and sets regional price points.
To ensure product sufficiency and prevent overpricing, the DSWD will collaborate with the Department of Trade and Industry this year. Market surveys are conducted by staff on the ground, and the results are sent to the retail management officer for approval. In 2025, the initiative served 42,563 beneficiaries in Western Visayas, including Negros Occidental, Iloilo, and Antique.
