What happens after feeding the poor? DSWD's next steps explained

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June 3, 2025 | 3:59pm

MANILA, Philippines — The government has set a lofty goal of eliminating hunger by the end of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s term. But once a family is fed, what comes next?

The Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) “Walang Gutom (No Hunger)” program includes an exit plan for these families.

In a Palace briefing, DSWD Secretary Gatchalian explained the Walang Gutom program has so far proven effective in its targeted areas, according to a Social Weather Stations survey, commissioned by their partner Globe. 

In the survey, hunger among beneficiaries dropped by 4.1%, from 48.7% in October 2024 to 44.6% in December. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said this indicates the program should be expanded.

So far, around 300,000 families have benefited from the initiative, according to the Social Welfare chief.

However, Gatchalian clarified that the Walang Gutom program is only a temporary reprieve. It includes an exit plan, as beneficiaries cannot rely on government assistance indefinitely.

“Dapat samahan ninyo na kami sa productive workforce para makapagtrabaho tayo at kapag may karagdagang income or stable income na sa pamilya ay pwede nang mag-exit,” Gatchalian said. 

(You should join us in the productive workforce, so once you can work and you have an additional or stable income for your family, you can exit the program.) 

This is when the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) step in. 

TESDA is meant to give the proper skills training to the beneficiaries while DOLE has job fairs to assist in job matching. 

Philstar.com obtained data from the DOLE showing that there have been at least four job fairs in relation to the Walang Gutom program in the pilot regions, with all of them being held in March. 

In a job fair in the National Capital Region, 823 beneficiaries participated, with only 12 who were hired on the spot. There were also high participation rates in Regions II, V and the CARAGA region.

However, only five beneficiaries were hired on the spot for Regions II and V, while no beneficiaries were hired on the spot from CARAGA. 

But how will progress be tracked? Gatchalian said the key is the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS), which is an updated annual survey by the DSWD that will help identify and categorize the groups that are food-poor.

In the same survey, the SWS found that while there was a decline in severe hunger, it remained prevalent. In response to this, the DSWD is also implementing nutrition development sessions, which hopes to create a cultural and behavioral change in how people eat. The Social Welfare focused on the decrease in severe hunger, saying that it was still a sign that the Walang Gutom program needed to be expanded, 

Gatchalian said there are currently around 750,000 families that were recorded to be food-poor, and the DSWD has reached 300,000 of them, with another 150,000 targeted.  

“As they progress, because they have a job, they are no longer hungry, they can be productive, they can join the workforce, they will exit using those tools that I mentioned,” Gatchalian said in a mix of English and Filipino. 

The Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (formerly the National Economic and Development Authority) Board recently approved the DSWD’s food voucher program, granting it a dedicated line item in the national budget. The program is scheduled to run from 2025 to 2028.