Marcos: Food stamp program in the pipeline of PH, ADB projects

President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) could assist the Philippine government in financing the eyed food stamp program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Marcos had a meeting with ADB president Masatsugu Asakawa in its office in Mandaluyong City wherein they tackled some of the programs that are already being implemented and those that are in the pipeline.

Marcos said the ADB is the country's largest source of official development assistance.

"One of the things that is in the pipeline, that is being developed, that is going to be of great assistance to our people is the proposal by the DSWD for a food stamp program, which I’m surprised that we have never had, but it is something that we can see that has been effective in other countries," Marcos told reporters.

Earlier, DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian mulled the implementation of the food coupon program to scale down the hunger problem among poor Filipinos.

Gatchalian said the DSWD could tap the private sector to achieve this goal .

Meanwhile, Marcos also mentioned the partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Civil Service Commission when it comes to digitalization.

"So the ADB has given us so many opportunities, not only in these projects that we are discussing but we are given more so in what has been done since ADB was brought here to Manila and they have been an essential part of all our development plans and they have been a robust and strong and reliable partner in the development of the Philippines," Marcos said. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News