May 23, 2023
MANILA — Philippine government is eyeing aid from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to revive the Food Stamp Program.
President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said this was among the topics he discussed with ADB President Masatsugu Asakawa and other senior ADB officials.
“One of the things that is in the pipeline, that is being developed, that is going to be of great assistance to our people, is a proposal by the DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) for a food stamp program,” Marcos explained in an interview at the ADB headquarters in Mandaluyong City.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian brought up the idea of renewing the food stamp program to reduce the incidence of hunger among the poor.
The program aims to give coupons to low-income families and individuals, which they can use to avail food items.
Marcos also discussed with ADB its partnership with the Civil Service Commission on digital technology and other “large-scale” projects.
“Now the scope of the ODA (official development assistance) that we get through ADB has now increased and we are now talking about agriculture, re-skilling and retraining, and climate change and its mitigation and adaptation,” he said.
“The ADB has been an essential part of all our development plans and they have been a robust and strong and reliable partner in the development of the Philippines,” Marcos noted.
APL/abc