The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on Thursday said it plans to establish 12 more Walang Gutom Kitchens (WGK) nationwide in 2027, focusing on areas with a high incidence of involuntary hunger.

The agency also plans to open three additional kitchens in the second semester of 2026 — one each in Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao — to complement the existing facilities in Pasay City, Cebu City and Zamboanga City.

“Sa ngayon po ay mayroon na tayo sa National Capital Region, sa Luzon, sa Pasay City. We have Cebu City sa Visayas, and then Zamboanga City sa Mindanao. Target po by second semester na madagdagan pa po ng another one sa NCR, another one po sa Region 8 at another one po sa Caraga Region (At present, we have Walang Gutom Kitchens in the National Capital Region, in Pasay City in Luzon, as well as in Cebu City in the Visayas and Zamboanga City in Mindanao. By the second semester, we aim to open three more kitchens, another one in the NCR, one in Region 8 and another in the Caraga Region),” Social Welfare Officer 4 and Walang Gutom Kitchens Officer-in-Charge Ramil Mapoy said during the DSWD Thursday Media Forum.

Mapoy said the kitchens are open to all persons experiencing involuntary hunger, particularly families and individuals in street situations (FISS).

“We are open to all, especially sa ating mga kababayan na naninirahan, namamalagi sa lansangan, at open din po tayo sa (to our fellow Filipinos who are living, staying on the street, and we are also open to) general public,” he said.

Aside from serving free hot meals, the kitchens provide nutritious food based on Pinggang Pinoy, the dietary guide recommended by the National Nutrition Council and validated by the Department of Science and Technology’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

The Pasay City kitchen has served 306,428 meals since it opened in December 2024.

The Cebu City facility has served 6,666 meals since it opened in June, while the Zamboanga City kitchen, which also opened in June, has distributed more than 3,000 free meals.

Mapoy also invited individuals to volunteer at the kitchens and encouraged organizations to donate surplus food.

The Walang Gutom Kitchens program, an initiative of DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, aims to address involuntary hunger while reducing food waste by turning surplus food donated by hotels, restaurants and other organizations into nutritious meals for people in need. (PNA)