A nationwide study commissioned by Globe Telecom and conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has found significant improvements in hunger levels among low-income Filipino households benefiting from the “Walang Gutom Program.”
The study, conducted in two waves from October to December 2024 and covering nearly 4,000 households across 33 provinces, revealed a 4.1 percentage point decline in hunger incidence among program beneficiaries.
In contrast, hunger among non-beneficiaries rose by 6.1 points during the same period, resulting in a 10.2-point gap, underscoring the program’s impact.
The results were more pronounced in highly vulnerable regions. In the BARMM-Plus cluster—which includes areas such as Basilan, Sulu, and Lanao del Sur—hunger among program participants dropped by 7.3 points, while severe hunger fell by 8.1 points, the highest decline among all regions.
Central and southern provinces including Negros and Surigao del Norte also saw notable declines.
The improvements were especially evident in households where women or less-educated individuals managed food planning—demographics typically at greater risk of food insecurity.
The data highlights the effectiveness of targeted support in breaking cycles of poverty and shaping evidence-based social policy.
The Walang Gutom Program is set to scale up, aiming to reach 300,000 households in 2025 and one million by 2027. Globe is also contributing through its Hapag Movement, which combines food aid with livelihood training.
By end-2024, Hapag had served over 120,000 families and helped more than 4,000 individuals graduate from upskilling programs with ₱53 million raised in donations.
The initiative is part of Globe’s broader commitment to social impact beyond connectivity, blending private-sector resources with public welfare programs to build more resilient Filipino communities.
Business News Asia