PRESIDENT Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday launched the Reducing Food Insecurity and Undernutrition with Electronic Vouchers (REFUEL) Project, an initiative aimed at expanding the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Program (WGP).
Marking World Food Day, President Marcos attended a “Kamustahan” event at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila, where he met with around 200 beneficiaries of WGP and witnessed firsthand the DSWD’s ongoing efforts to improve the food assistance program.
“Sa programang ito, magkasama po ang food assistance, ‘yung pagbigay po ng mura na pagkain; nutrition education, na nakakaunawa kung ano ang mga kailangan na kainin na iba’t ibang klaseng pagkain para maging malakas po ang ating katawan, matibay po ang ating kalusugan,” President Marcos said.
The REFUEL Project aims to expand WGP coverage to 750,000 food-poor households by 2026 – more than double its current coverage of 300,000 beneficiaries.
The WGP provides PhP3,000 monthly electronic food credits to each beneficiary through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card, which can be used at accredited partner retailers to purchase essential food items.
President Marcos also inspected the program’s automated system, which allows beneficiaries to track their balances, view past purchases, and plan future meals.
“Dati nagsimula ito mayroon pa tayong kaunting notebook…Ngayon, high-tech na po tayo ngayon. Diyan na lang po sa computer… Tuturuan po kayo namin kung papaano gawin. Napakasimple lang po,” the President said.
President Marcos highlighted the program’s success, citing a Social Weather Stations survey commissioned by Globe and Monde Nissin in March 2025, which showed a steady decline in hunger rates among WGP beneficiaries — from 48.7 percent in October 2024, to 44.6 percent in December 2024, and further down to 41.5 percent in March 2025.
With such promising results, President Marcos shared the government’s goal of enrolling up to one million beneficiaries in the program.
“Maganda naman ang naging resulta. Kaya patuloy natin ang ating pagbigay ng tulong sa ating mga kababayan na nangangailangan ng tulong,” the President said.
President Marcos also expressed his gratitude to the Asian Development Bank, the Agence Française de Développement and the OPEC Fund for their support in financing the REFUEL Project.
The WGP is a flagship initiative of the Marcos administration, combining food assistance, technology, and education to combat hunger in a sustainable and inclusive way.
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