Senator Win Gatchalian said the government should not rely on loans in funding the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s Walang Gutom Program (WGP), which aims to address poverty and hunger in the country. Instead, the vital anti-hunger initiative should be given regular, direct funding under the national expenditure program (NEP) to ensure its sustainability.

Gatchalian noted that in the department’s proposed budget for next year, only P1.8 billion has been allocated for the program against its funding requirement of P26.6 billion, with the gap to be covered by loans. 

“Funding the program through NEP means we are helping our people, especially those who are hungry.  Dapat pakainin natin sila gamit ang sarili nating pera,” he added.

The DSWD aims to cover 750,000 families under its WGP by next year, up from 300,000 last year and 600,000 this year.

“This is a short-term program because we want them to get out of the food subsistence level. In my opinion, this should be funded in the NEP,” Gatchalian emphasized at a recent hearing on the DPWH’s proposed budget for 2026.