The city government of Mati in Davao Oriental was chosen as one of 10 local government units (LGUs) nationwide to receive the inaugural Walang Gutom Awards from the national government on Wednesday.

Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat personally received the award at Malacañang Palace.

“To the Maternal Mental Nutritional Recovery Family Care-avan team, we made it! We got the Walang Gutom Award. Congratulations,” Rabat said in a Facebook post Wednesday.

Seventeen LGUs were chosen as national finalists from over a hundred entries submitted for the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) inaugural Walang Gutom Awards.

Mati LGU’s entry – the MMNR Family Care-avan – launched in 2022 and is still being implemented in the 26 villages of Mati.

The MMNR Care-avan aims to provide comprehensive government services to geographically isolated and disadvantaged residents. Instead of residents traveling to the city hall, the LGU brings its services directly to remote barangays.

The services include feeding programs for children and distributing nutritious food or crops for household cultivation to ensure an adequate food supply.

Other winners are Barangay Commonwealth in Quezon City; Barangay Naggasican, Santiago City; Bago City; Cadiz City; Kidapawan City; Asuncion, Davao del Norte; Bacnotan, La Union; Palompon, Leyte; and Biliran province.

The winners got cash incentives.

In his speech, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. commended the LGUs for helping their communities, and that one of his administration’s agenda is to eradicate hunger among Filipinos by the end of his term. (PNA)