Manila: President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has initiated the distribution of electronic food vouchers to approximately 750,000 beneficiaries under the Walang Gutom Program (WGP) as part of the government’s efforts to enhance its anti-hunger initiative. The launch of the Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project took place at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila, where Marcos emphasized the government’s commitment to assisting WGP beneficiaries in utilizing these digital vouchers.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has collaborated with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement monthly electronic food vouchers, with the objective of extending the WGP’s reach to 750,000 households nationwide by 2026. The WGP allocates PHP3,000 in monthly electronic food credits to low-income households.
The PHP74-billion REFUEL Project, which aims to support the expansion of the WGP, is funded through a loan from the ADB and co-financed by the Agence Fran§aise de D©veloppement and the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries – Fund for International Development. The program is designed to bolster the WGP’s objective of reducing hunger and enhancing nutrition from 2025 to 2028 through food support, behavior change sessions, and improved social protection systems.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian highlighted the significance of the REFUEL Project’s launch, noting its role in furthering the agency’s efforts to innovate food assistance programs and ensure that every Filipino family has access to nutritious and affordable food. He stated that the partnership with the Asian Development Bank aligns with President Marcos Jr.’s vision of a hunger-free Philippines and expands the impact of the Walang Gutom Program.
A survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS), commissioned by telecoms firm Globe and Monde Nissin for the WGP, indicates a reduction in hunger prevalence among beneficiaries to 41.5 percent in March 2025, compared to 48.7 percent in October 2024 and 44.6 percent in December 2024. The survey results show a total decline in hunger incidence by 7.2 percentage points, with the most notable improvement occurring in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao-Plus cluster, where rates decreased by 17.4 percentage points.