The government will start the full implementation of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) food stamp program on July 2024, a Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) official said on Saturday.

"Come next year, we'll have the full run, the full implementation of the program which targets one million households nationwide, our food-poor families nationwide," Social Welfare Undersecretary Edu Punay said in a forum in Quezon City on Saturday.

Punay said "there will be 300,000 beneficiaries, household beneficiaries mid-next year."

He added that the pilot testing, which was funded by a $3 million ADB grant, with end in May 2024 and a review will follow in June.

"Then July will be the implementation of the 300,000 scale-up and that will require six billion peso in budget next year," Punay said.

"We already met with the Department of Budget and Management and they committed to provide for the financial budgetary requirements of the program. So, we’re very happy that this will be implemented next year... there is really a working budget, thanks to the EO 44 of President (Ferdinand Marcos Jr.)," he added.

The executive order makes the food stamp program as a flagship initiative of the government.

Punay said the six billion pesos budget will cover the budget for the program from July to December next year.

The pilot implementation of the food stamp program aims to provide assistance for 3,000 families in five pilot sites.

The five pilot sites are Tondo in Manila; Dapa in Siargao; San Mariano in Isabela; Garchitorena in Camarines Sur; and in Parang, Maguindanao. Robina Asido/DMS