As the issue of hunger persists especially among vulnerable societal groups, the Pasig City Local Council of Women (PCLCW) and Rise Against Hunger (RAH) Philippines teamed up to provide free nutritional meals to citizens through its “Kain Tayo” mobile kitchen program.
RAH Philippines, an international hunger relief organization, first launched the mobile kitchen project on Sept. 30, 2021 to help alleviate food insecurity within the marginalized sectors of society.
According to a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey for the third quarter of 2022, conducted from September to October, around 2.9 million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months.
Metro Manila had the highest hunger rate in the country, estimating around 16.3 percent or 558,000 families are experiencing hunger, as per the survey.
As such, RAH Philippines continues to conduct the feeding program in various areas in Metro Manila with the help of their respective local government units.
The PCLCW, led and founded by incumbent Councilor Corazon “Corie” Raymundo, spearheaded the local implementation of the mobile kitchen program in October 2021 and for 2022.
The feeding program brings nutritional food “closer to the people.”
The food is prepared and freshly cooked in a “mobile kitchen” in the form of a customized jeepney with a fully-equipped and functional kitchen.
The mobile kitchen made its inaugural stop in Pasig City at Barangay Rosario on Monday, Nov. 14. They served brown rice, bacon, “ginisang sayote” or sautéed chayote, and carrots to 500 residents.
Another 500 individuals in Barangay Santolan were also fed hot meals on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The menu for the day was hotdog, rice, soup, and assorted vegetables.
Beneficiaries were asked to bring containers with lids, plastic bags, and their food stubs to avail of the meals.
The program ushers and officiators distributed the meals through a buffet service.
However, children, senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs) or differently-abled persons, and pregnant women were prioritized in the lines.
Aside from the meals, packs of chicken mami noodles and bubble tea sachets were also distributed to each beneficiary.
The mobile kitchen will rove around Pasig City three times a week, serving nutritional meals to citizens in a total of 16 spots until January 2023.
The program is sponsored by Tenet Healthcare Corporation, the Global FoodBanking Network, AXA Philippines, and Hilton Effect Foundation.