The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) launched on Friday, Feb. 28 a new initiative to promote healthy eating among family-beneficiaries of the agency’s food stamp system, the “Walang Gutom” Program.

Held at the Dapa Gymnasium in Surigao del Norte, the launch of the “Walang Gutom Kusinero” cook-off challenge showcased the culinary skills of participants from various regions, as they prepared nutritious meals using affordable ingredients. 

DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations and Program Development Edu Punay explained that the cook-off challenge aims to showcase the Walang Gutom Program as a key initiative in the fight against hunger and malnutrition.

It also serves as a platform to promote the program’s advocacy for social and behavioral change, helping raise awareness and encourage healthy eating habits.

“As one of the conditions of the WGP, beneficiaries attend nutrition education sessions. The monthly sessions help them to purchase and cook nutritious meals for their families. With this new initiative, beneficiaries can showcase the skills they’ve gained through these sessions and demonstrate their culinary skills by preparing nutritious, affordable, and balanced meals, while promoting sustainable food practices,” Punay said.

The competition will be in three stages: provincial, regional, and national. 

Beneficiaries from select pilot areas, including Metro Manila, Cagayan Valley, Bicol, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Soccsksargen, and Caraga, will compete for a chance to represent their region at the national level. 

At the provincial level, the Walang Gutom Program Regional Program Management Office will visit participants' homes to verify the authenticity of the cooking process.

The top five provincial finalists will advance to the regional competition, where participants will be tasked with preparing a dish in 45 minutes using specified ingredients. 

Winners at the regional level will represent their regions in the national cook-off.

At the national level, each finalist will have one hour to prepare a meal that reflects their region’s culinary traditions. A mystery ingredient will be introduced, and it must be incorporated into their dish.

“Participants will be judged based on three main criteria: healthiness, taste, and affordability. Their dish will be evaluated if it is aligned with the nutritional principles of balanced meals, the overall flavor, and if the dish is cost-effective and if they utilize readily available ingredients,” Punay said.

The Walang Gutom Program, established through Executive Order No. 44, aims to reduce hunger among low-income Filipino households while promoting the preparation of nutritious and cost-efficient meals. 

DSWD aims to reach 750,000 food-poor families by 2027.