PBBM, inaprubahan ang pilot testing ng Food stamp program ng gobyerno

INAPRUBAHAN ni Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. ang pilot testing ng food stamp program ng gobyerno na nakalaan para sa isang milyong mahihirap na pamilyang Filipino bilang bahagi ng paglaban ng administrasyon sa kahirapan, malnutrisyon at pagkagutom. 

“The President approved the run of the pilot, which is fully funded through grants – grants from the ADB [Asian Development Bank], JICA [Japan International Cooperation Agency] and the French Development Agency. So, that will be US$3 million all in all,” ayon kay Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian  sa  press briefing sa Malakanyang.

“There’s a provision to expand it.  ADB is still working on another trust fund so that we can expand the pilot. But other than that, it’s all green light, go na for the pilot which will take place shortly.” dagdag na wika nito.

Sa pamamagitan ng pilot testing, sinabi ni Gatchalian na ang Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) at iba pang may kinalaman na ahensiya ng pamahalaan ay titingnan ang  mga “nuances” at  idedetermina kung ano ang kailangan na paghusayin at palakasin at kung anong item ang kailangan na itigil na.

“The government wants to avoid wasteful spending and make sure that when the program is expanded for its regular run, the government is doing it correctly,” ayon kay Gatchalian.

“The President also wants to bring in pregnant, lactating mothers as the DSWD has started looking into the stunting problem in the country in order to effectively implement the First 1,000 Days Law (RA 11148),” ayon pa rin sa Kalihim.

“So paiigtingin natin iyang programa na iyan para ma-synchronize naman natin siya dito sa upcoming natin na food stamps program,” ani Gatchalian sabay sabing “Uulitin namin, ang marching order ng Pangulo, dapat malabanan natin ang stunting at ang gutom; pagsasanib-puwersa ng mga iba’t ibang programa ng gobyerno para hindi sila piece by piece ang turing sa mga programa.”

Ang food stamp program o  “Walang Gutom 2027” ay naglalayong magbigay ng  electronic benefit transfers na kakargahan ng  food credits na nagkakahalaga ng  P3,000 para makabili ng  mula sa piling listahan ng food commodities mula  DSWD accredited local retailers.

Layon nito na targetin ang isang milyong kabahayan mula sa listahanan 3 na nabibilang sa  food poor criteria na tinukoy ng Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

Samantala, kinilala naman ng DSWD ang limang pilot sites na nagmula sa iba’t ibang  geopolitical characteristics:  isa sa  Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), nagamit bilang dating  conflict area; isa sa  geographically isolated regions o provinces; isa sa  urban poor settings; isa sa  calamity-stricken areas; at isa sa rural poor area. (Daris Jose)