Food stamp program addresses urban, rural poverty – lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines — Food stamp distribution should be “comprehensive” to make sure the program is properly implemented at the grassroots level and on a national scale.  

Rep. Michael Romero, chairman of the House committee on poverty alleviation, said the food stamp program aims to connect “rural surpluses with food-poor urban communities.”

“This way, we could effectively address both urban poverty and rural poverty,” he claimed.  

Romero added that the program will link the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).  

“The DSWD would formulate policies and plans which provide direction to intermediaries and other implementers in the development and delivery of social welfare and development services,” Romero said.  

The food stamp program, approved by President Marcos on June 13, will provide benefit cards or “tap” cards to beneficiaries.    

These tap cards are loaded with P3,000 in food credits, which can be used to purchase products from DSWD-accredited local retailers.

Beneficiaries must belong to families with P8,000 monthly income or less, and will be required to find a job.  

The program is targeting at least 300,000 families by 2024, and hopes to increase tap card recipients to one million in the following years.