ADB, PH working on ‘food stamp’ program – Marcos

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, May 22) — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Monday said the Asian Development Bank (ADB) can give a financial boost to the planned rollout of a “food stamp” program.

On the sidelines of his visit at the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong, Marcos said the food stamp program is currently “being developed,” based on the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) proposal.

“I’m surprised that we have never had, but it is something that we can see that has been effective in other countries,” he said.

According to an ADB report in 2022, a similar program allowed Mongolia to better identify and assist the poorest people in the country.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian said in February that he wanted to revive the food coupons or food stamp program to fight hunger among poor Filipinos.

Marcos, during a chance interview, did not provide more details about the plan.

But he said the government continues to pursue “large-scale” programs with the ADB.

“Traditionally, ADB has provided assistance to infra, now the scope of the ODA assistance that we get through ADB has now increased and we are now talking about agriculture, we are talking about reskilling and retraining, we’re talking about climate change and its mitigation and adaptation…,” he said.