In line with the Marcos administration’s Walang Gutom 2027 program, the Department of Social and Welfare Development (DSWD) has set the pilot run of the food stamp program on July 18 in Tondo, Manila, benefitting an initial of 50 families among the 3,000 identified as food poor families nationwide.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said that the program is still in its pilot run to study the effectiveness of the program for the targeted one million food poor families nationwide under the agency’s Listahanan.

“After six months ng takbo ng programa, ng pilot, titingnan natin iyong resulta. Kung maganda iyong resulta, then we scale up, where it will be initially 300,000 na pamilya and then another 300,000 the year after hanggang sa maabot natin iyong isang milyong Pilipinong pamilya na food poor kung tawagin,” Gatchalian said in a news forum on Saturday in Quezon City.

Upon the directive of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s directives, the “Walang Gutom 2027″ program will cater to eligible families who will receive electronic benefit cards similar to tap cards, loaded with food credits instead of cash.

They can use these cards at accredited retailers, such as Kadiwa stores, groceries, and small supermarkets.

Purchasing using the cards will also require biometrics as part of its security features to ensure that the beneficiaries are directly using the provisions of the program.

This feature will also eliminate the chances of buy-outs, similar to those in ATM cards.

Beneficiaries are also required to attend nutrition development classes to address the issue of improper food consumption within households.