Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, October 19) — A group pushing for climate justice on Thursday said the government’s new food stamp program will not address food insecurity and agricultural problems but instead could become a debt trap that will lead to more hunger and disaster.
The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) claimed it is only a \”rehash\” of the failed Kadiwa program of late dictator Ferdinand E. Marcos, the father and namesake of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.
\”Food stamp program is a dole out, short term, cosmetic and will not solve in the long term the Filipinos food insecurity as well as the lackadaisical agricultural performance of the country,\” PMCJ National Coordinator Ian Rivera said.
The \”Walang Gutom 2027: Food Stamp Program\” aims to provide food augmentation to one million households under the \”food poor criteria\” of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Beneficiaries will receive ₱3,000 food credits to buy healthy food, the government said.
“Right now, we are doing the pilot implementation. Three thousand families sa loob ng limang pilot sites ang ating target [in five pilot sites are targeted], and we will go full blast sa pilot implementation come December,” Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary for Innovations Eduardo Punay told reporters on Wednesday.
Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian earlier said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) provided a grant of nearly $3 million for the ongoing pilot run of the program.
In a statement on Thursday, the DSWD said that the program will also provide financial assistance, and added that it is encouraging the beneficiaries to be “productive citizens” as the program also requires participation in capacity building and training for employment.
READ: Marcos: Ensure food stamp program free from anomaly
PH’s food stamp program in design stage, to target 1 million families
On the contrary, Rivera said the program’s key features will only focus on the enhancement of the \”existing policy of prioritizing global markets and importation.\”
He cited the latest report of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), which named the Philippines as the world’s top rice importer for 2022-2023.
READ: PH overtakes China as world’s top rice importer in 2023 USDA
Rivera warned that the program’s process of assisting families through meals may lead to a \”fiscal trap\” that will eventually defund other services for it to be maintained.
The PMCJ also criticized the program for its supposed neglect of climate mitigation.
It said the hunger situation has worsened due to extreme weather events induced by climate impacts, with the country posting agricultural losses after nine typhoons this year.
