SONA 2025: Marcos eyes expanding 'Walang Gutom' program to reach 750K homes

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., in his State of the Nation Address (SONA 2025) on Monday, said that the government aims to help around 600,000 people in the government's Walang Gutom program.

"Sa ikalawang taon ng ating Walang Gutom program, mabibigyan ng tulong ang anim na raang libong pinakanangangailangang kabahayan sa kanilang nutrisyon," said Marcos in his speech. 

(In the second year of our Walang Gutom program, six hundred thousand of the neediest households will be provided with nutritional assistance.)

"At sa 2027, dadamihan pa natin sa pitong daan at limampung libong kabahayan ang maaabot ng feeding program natin," Marcos added. 

(And by 2027, we will increase the number of households reached by our feeding program to seven hundred and fifty thousand.)

The President also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and the Department of Education are also working to push the government's nutrition program in schools and day care centers. 

"Ipinagpapatuloy ng DSWD at ng DepEd ang feeding program nila para sa mga daycare center at pampublikong paaralan, na nakapagbigay ng masustansyang pagkain at gatas sa mahigit tatlo't kalahating milyong mag-aaral sa buong bansa," said Marcos. 

(DSWD and DepEd continue their feeding program for daycare centers and public schools, which has provided nutritious food and milk to more than three and a half million students nationwide.)

"Kung 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," added Marcos.

(If we extend these programs next year, with the help of an additional one billion pesos in funding, the DSWD will further increase the number of children who will be provided with nutritious food," added Marcos.) —VAL, GMA Integrated