ZERO HUNGER. First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian serve meals at the “Walang Gutom” Kitchen in Pasay City on Monday. The food bank is a private and public sector initiative to lessen food wastage and address hunger problem in Metro Manila. Photo courtesy of DSWD
WASTE NOT
SOCIAL Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian on Monday said the “Walang Gutom” (Zero Hunger) Kitchen, the agency’s newest convergence initiative, will help minimize food wastage in the country.
“This Walang Gutom Kitchen is a food bank kung saan ang private sector at ang public sector ay magsasanib pwersa para mabawasan ang wastage ng pagkain at matugunan ang problema ng kagutuman sa Metro Manila and later on, when we expand this type of food banks, nationwide,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the project launch in Pasay City.
Gatchalian underscored that the Walang Gutom Kitchen will adhere to the provisions of Republic Act 9803 or the Food Donation Act of 2009 in creating measures to encourage the donation of wholesome food for charitable purposes.
“Ang plano natin is to expand it later on and open more of its branches so that ‘yung mga kababayan natin na nasa pribadong sektor na may excess na pagkain, pwede nilang maibaba rito sa Walang Gutom Kitchen para ‘yung mga nagugutom nating mga kababayan, pwedeng-pwedeng pumunta rito anytime para makakuha ng libreng pagkain,” Gatchalian said.
The Walang Gutom Kitchen, which is located at a former Philippine offshore gaming operator (POGO) hub later repurposed by the DSWD, also features the convergence of the three innovative programs of the agency — Pag-Abot Program, Walang Gutom Program and Tara, Basa! Tutoring Program.
Clients reached out by or walk-ins in the Pag-Abot Program will be provided with food and other basic necessities upon the assessment of social workers.
The Walang Gutom Kitchen will be facilitating individualized case management of clients including assessment, intervention, planning and progress tracking of homeless individuals for their development.
Through the establishment of Tara, Basa! reading corners, clients will be able to access learning and developmental interventions such as parenting education and character-building activities that will be held in the multipurpose facility.
“Sa lahat ng mga kababayan natin na gustong tumulong sa ating mga kababayan na nagugutom…we will take on any type of food donation and drinks donation, whether gusto mo na own personal capacity or nagkataon na may negosyo ka at may sumobrang pagkain, basta galing sa pribadong sektor, alinsunod na rin sa batas, tatanggapin namin iyan para ipakain at ipamahagi araw-araw sa mga nagugutom nating mga kababayan,” Gatchalian said.
The launch of the Walang Gutom Kitchen was attended by First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos, who joined Gatchalian and private sector partners in distributing hot meals to the kitchen’s beneficiaries.
Other officials who attended the Walang Gutom Kitchen launch were Pasay City Mayor Imelda Calixto-Rubiano and DSWD officials Undersecretary for Operations Group Pinky Romualdez, Undersecretary for Innovations Group Eduardo Punay, Assistant Secretary for Innovations Group Baldr Bringas, and Assistant Secretary for Regional Operations Paul Ledesma. Philippine News Agency
