A total of 533,613 households are now enrolled in the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Program (WGP), a key anti-hunger initiative of the administration of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“As of Jan. 15, mayroon na tayong mahigit 533,000 na sambahayan na na-enroll sa ating WGP. Matatandaan na may nauna na tayong 300,000 households noong nakaraang taon at ngayon ay kinukumpleto naman natin ang ating target na 600,000 beneficiaries (As of Jan. 15, we already have 533,000 households enrolled in WGP. We have an initial 300,000 households last year and we are completing our target of 600,000 this year),” Assistant Secretary Irene Dumlao said in a statement on Friday.

The DSWD spokesperson said the department is fast tracking the enrollment through simultaneous verification and registration across regions with the highest incidence of involuntary hunger to complete the 600,000 target beneficiaries.

“A total of 750,000 households in 52 provinces are expected to be enrolled in the WGP before President Marcos steps out of office in 2028,” she said.

On Jan. 13, the ‘Angels in Red Vest’ of the DSWD’s Field Office 5 (Bicol Region) conducted verification and registration in the municipality of Oas in Albay; Ragay, Baao, Buhi, Caramoan, Tinambac and Presentacion in the province of Camarines Sur; and in the municipalities of Barcelona, Bulan, and Casiguran in Sorsogon.

Similar activities are also being conducted in the different regions, including Cagayan Valley; Mimaropa; Bicol Region; Western Visayas; Central Visayas; Eastern Visayas; Zamboanga Peninsula; Northern Mindanao; Soccsksargen; Caraga; Negros Island Region; and the National Capital Region.

Launched in 2023 and institutionalized in 2024 by virtue of Executive Order (EO) No. 44, the WGP is the flagship anti-hunger program of the Philippine government, which is aligned with the goal of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to address food insecurity in the country. (PNA)