THE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said its “Walang Gutom” Program (WGP) beneficiaries will now be able to buy rice at P20 per kilo.
The pilot testing of the program began today at the Morsac Basketball Court, Barangay 69 in Tondo, Manila, where each beneficiary will be able to purchase up to 30 kilos of rice from accredited retailers and Kadiwa ng Pangulo.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) is a partner of the DSWD in conducting the pilot-testing that was not only done in Tondo but also in Cebu City and in the Caraga region.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that there are 900 WGP retailers so they are gradually starting to sell cheap rice to ensure that the system is in place before it is launched to benefit about 300,000 beneficiary families.
If the program goes well, Gatchalian said, it will also benefit other specific food-poor Filipino families.
He said it is also a great help that at least the beneficiaries can buy nutritious and sufficient food for their families.
DSWD targets to increase the number of beneficiaries of the WGP to 750,000 food-poor families by 2026.