President Ferdinand 'Bong Bong' Marcos Jr. highlighted the Food Stamp Program (FSP), which will supply the nutrition needs of the million most food-poor Filipinos, during his second State of the Nation Address (SONA) Monday, July 24, 2023.
Millions of people worldwide, including the Philippines, are affected by the pressing issue of malnutrition. The FSP can change the fight against hunger while boosting the agriculture industry and encouraging self-sufficiency among beneficiaries. The program is structured to promote empowerment and long-term sustainability.
1. Mitigate Malnutrition
The FSP will complement the government's nutrition continuity program, such as the First 1000 Days Program that ensures nourishment for the first 3 years of a child's life, the supplemental feeding program for daycare children,and the K-to-6 program which will feed kindergarten to grade 6 public school students who are suffering from wasting and severe malnutrition.
Beneficiaries will get monthly electronic benefit transfer cards with food credits worth P3,000. They may use the credits to purchase certain food goods from merchants that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has authorized or recognized.
2. Boost the Agricultural Sector
According to DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, addressing the excess supply of agricultural produce that frequently goes to waste because of a lack of markets is one of the goals of the FSP.
'Farmers-driven stores,' like those run by the Kadiwa ng Pangulo and Agri-Coop, were first prioritized in the program's initial design as places where beneficiaries could purchase commodities and items. This would help local farmers and fisherfolk have a marketplace to sell their produce while addressing the nation's hunger issue.
3. Address Dependency on Government
Beneficiaries under the FSP must participate in labor capacity building to lessen their dependency on government assistance. They will also be enrolled in training programs offered by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and its affiliated organization, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), to be capacitated and, eventually, financially independent.
In the beginning, the FSP aims to assist them by eating healthy meals so they will have enough energy to contribute to nation-building throughout the three to four years they will be part of the program.
The program can enormously impact the nation's socioeconomic environment through collaboration between stakeholders, including government agencies, local farmers, Non-Government Organizations, and the private sector, creating a healthier, more resilient, and food-secure nation.
The FSP had its pilot implementation where 50 indigent families from Tondo, Manila, served as its beneficiaries last July 18, 2023. Following a six-month evaluation of the pilot implementation, it will be expanded to cover 300,000 families, followed by another 300,000 families the following year, until it reaches one million family beneficiaries.
The one million families will originate from all regions in the country, including the hardest-to-reach areas, conflict areas, and low-income communities. (PIA-NCR)
