The Department of Social Welfare and Development will be pilot testing its food stamp program this week.
The program will start on July 18, 2023 according to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian.
“Magki-kick off na tayo sa Tuesday. Ang pilot run sisimulan sa singkwenta na pamilya sa Tondo sa Tuesday,” he said in a Saturday news forum.
Gatchalian said more details will be provided on the kick-off program “Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program” on Monday, July 17.
Under the program, DSWD will provide “electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards” that will be loaded with food credits amounting to P3,000 per month to purchase a select list of food commodities from DSWD registered or accredited retailers.
The pilot run will last for six months and will be funded by the $3 million grant extended by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to 3,000 families.
Gatchalian said that program beneficiaries will have to comply with some conditions including attending nutrition classes and having one employed family member who can later take skills upgrade training under DOLE or TESDA.
The DSWD aims to reach 300,000 families for the first year of the program.
