Beneficiaries of the Walang Gutom (Zero Hunger) program from this capital town of Antique are assured of nutritious food for the next three years under the government’s zero hunger initiative.

A food redemption activity was held for 279 recipients on Tuesday at the gymnasium of Barangay II.

The beneficiaries, using their electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, purchased food supplies, such as rice, chicken, eggs, vegetables, and cooking oil, from an accredited store.

Department of Social Welfare and Development project development officer Von Bon Tinambunan said in an interview that beneficiaries were told not to sell the rice and other food supplies that they could redeem.

One of the beneficiaries, Mercy Rivero, 49, a mother of two from Barangay Maybato Sur, said the program is a big help since they only rely on the meager income of her husband as a tricycle driver.

Another beneficiary, Elizalde Lapostre, 55, from Barangay Pantao, said they were relieved after being chosen as recipients of the program.

“My wife and I could hardly afford to buy food to feed our children,” he said.

He said he takes on carpentry and farm jobs to earn and bring home food.

The Walang Gutom 2027: Food provision through Strategic Transfer and Alternative Measures Program aims to decrease incidence of involuntary hunger experienced by low-income households and make them productive citizens of the country.

Through a whole-of-nation approach, the program provides monetary-based assistance in the form of an EBT card that will be loaded with food credits amounting to PHP3,000 to purchase a select list of food commodities from partner merchant stores. (PNA)