President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Monday said his administration would further strengthen anti-hunger programs.
“Sa ikalawang taon ng ating Walang Gutom program, mabibigyan ng tulong ang anim na raang libong pinaka-nangangailangang kabahayan sa kanilang nutrisyon. At sa 2027, dadamihan pa natin sa pitong daan at limampung libong kabahayan ang maaabot ng feeding program natin (On the second year of our Walang Gutom Program (WGP), around 600,000 food-hungry homes will be given assistance. And in 2027, we will increase to 750,000 households the reach of our feeding program),” he said during his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) delivered at the House of Representatives.
He said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), together with the Department of Education (DepEd), will continue their supplementary feeding programs in day-care centers at public schools.
The feeding programs, he said, will provide nutritious food and milk to 3.5 million learners nationwide.
“Basta’t may laman ang tiyan, may laman din ang isipan (As long as the stomach is full, the mind is also full),” Marcos said.
“Kaya papalawigin pa natin ang mga programang ito. Sa susunod na taon, sa tulong ng karagdagang isang bilyong pisong pondo, pararamihin pa ng DSWD ang bilang ng mga batang mabibigyan ng masustansyang pagkain (We will boost these programs. Next year, through the help of an additional PHP1-billion fund, the DSWD will increase the number of learners to be given nutritious food),” he added.
Meanwhile, the President called on the DSWD and DepEd to continue their internship and pre-employment programs for college students.
At present, the DSWD is implementing its Tara Basa! tutoring program and providing cash-for-work opportunities to college students who work as tutors and youth development workers. They receive PHP468 per day for two- to three-hour tutorials and parenting sessions for 20 days.
“Malaking tulong ito sa kanila habang sila ay nag-aaral, malaking tulong din sa bansa (This is a big help to them, as well as to the country,” Marcos said.
The President said they will prioritize the children of those who are in the “Listahanan” and the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) in the next three years to help them reach college.
“Tuloy-tuloy pa rin ang ating programang 4Ps. Hangad din natin na amyendahan ang batas ng 4Ps upang matiyak na talagang sapat ang panahon para maitaguyod ang mga mahihirap (We will continue the 4Ps. We seek to amend the 4Ps law to ensure that we can support the poor),” he said.
“Mula nang nagsimula ang administrasyon, mahigit limang milyong kabahayan ang nagbenepisyo sa conditional cash grants ng 4Ps. Mas maganda pa ang balita, na sa tatlong taon, halos isa’t kalahating milyong pamilya ang gumanda na ang buhay, kaya nakapag-graduate na sa programa ng 4Ps (Since the administration started, more than 5 million households have benefitted from the conditional cash grants of 4Ps. We have better news, that in three years, around 1.5 million families already have better lives, that’s why they graduated from the 4Ps program).”
He also called on the local government units to help those who are living on the streets and enroll them in the 4Ps and other programs of the DSWD.
“Para naman maitaguyod natin sila at magsimula na ang kanilang paglakbay tungo sa pag-unlad ng kanilang buhay (We need to support them, so that they can start the journey towards a better life),” Maros said. (PNA)