An initial 172 household beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Walang Gutom: Food Stamp Program in this city have started using their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards to redeem food package amounting to PHP3,000 each.

An identified household, considered as most food-poor, received 25 kg. of rice, poultry products, and vegetables during the program launch on Monday.

As of Tuesday, the list of the DSWD showed that Bacolod City has a total of 689 household beneficiaries, which is part of the target 43,021 households in Negros Occidental.

Alma Gustilo, head of the city’s Department of Social Services and Development, said they continue validating additional households that can avail of the program.

Each household beneficiary can avail of PHP3,000 monthly food credits for three years until 2027.

The food credits are allocated in three food groups, including PHP1,500 for carbohydrates (50 percent), PHP900 for protein (30 percent), and PHP 600 for fiber-rich food (20 percent).

The DSWD-Western Visayas has accredited retailers in each local government unit (LGU) to supply food products to household beneficiaries, and their respective LGUs will organize the monthly redemption day.

The Food Stamp Program, created through Executive Order No. 44, is an anti-hunger and poverty reduction program aimed at decreasing the incidence of involuntary hunger experienced by Filipinos from low-income households. (PNA)