The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Board’s approval of the Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project will support the scale up of the agency’s Walang Gutom Program (WGP) for 2025-2028, a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official said on Friday.

The NEDA Board, chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., approved the three-year program on Wednesday to improve food insecurity and malnutrition measures.

In a news release, Undersecretary Edu Punay of the DSWD’s Innovations, Programs, and Development Group said REFUEL will build on the gains from the pilot implementation of the WGP.

“The approval of REFUEL enables us to expand and improve the program with stronger implementation systems, enhanced digital infrastructure, and broader partnerships to ensure timely delivery of food assistance,” Punay, who is also the national program manager of the WGP, said.

“The program doesn’t just address hunger — it builds long-term resilience. Through complementary activities like social behavior change sessions and livelihood skills training, the WGP helps empower poor households to move toward self-sufficiency,” he added.

The REFUEL Project is designed to support the national scale-up of the WGP, the government’s flagship food assistance program institutionalized under Executive Order No. 44, series of 2023.

The project aims to reach a total of 750,000 food-poor households by 2027, identified through the Listahanan 3 database and other government targeting systems.

During the pilot phase, the WGP reached 300,000 households in priority provinces. The pilot concluded in June 2024 and provided the foundation for the nationwide rollout.

The REFUEL Project, with a total project cost of PHP74 billion, is supported by the Asian Development Bank DB and co-financed by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and the OPEC Fund for International Development.

Under the REFUEL Project, beneficiaries will receive electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards loaded with PHP3,000 monthly food credits, redeemable at accredited local retailers for nutritious food items.

Participation in monthly nutrition education and productivity enhancement sessions will be part of the program conditions.

“The DSWD will continue to work closely with national and local stakeholders to ensure the structured implementation of the program and deliver on the commitment to reduce hunger and malnutrition across the country,” Punay said. (PNA)