Free meals in Cebu: Where is the facility, and who qualifies for the Walang Gutom Kitchen?

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Hundreds of individuals and families in Cebu will soon receive free daily breakfast and lunch through the newly opened Walang Gutom Kitchen.

Operated by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the facility aims to provide immediate food assistance to people experiencing hunger while linking them to government programs that can help improve their long-term well-being.

Here is what beneficiaries, donors, and the public need to know about the initiative.

READ: Walang Gutom Kitchen: Free meal center opens in Cebu City

Who can get free meals

The Walang Gutom Kitchen in Cebu City, is open to the public, although it primarily serves children, individuals, and families living in street situations, as well as households facing food insecurity and involuntary hunger.

DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, who led the facility’s inauguration on Monday, June 22, said the program seeks to address hunger and other challenges affecting vulnerable sectors.

READ: Walang Gutom beneficiaries hit 600K nationwide — DSWD

“Pwedeng pumunta dito ang mga nakakaranas ng kagutuman para makakuha ng free warm meals seven days a week, mula umaga hanggang tanghali,” Gatchalian said.

(Those experiencing hunger can come here to receive free warm meals seven days a week, from morning until noon.)

READ: Ending hunger by 2027: How far has Marcos’ Walang Gutom program come?

Meals are available on a walk-in basis, although service is subject to available food supplies and daily schedules.

The facility can accommodate around 250 beneficiaries during each meal service.

Walk-in beneficiaries may also be registered under the DSWD’s Pag-abot Program, which assists individuals, children, and families living in street situations.

Where is the facility located

The feeding center is located at the OKK Square Unit in Pier 4 along Arellano Boulevard corner Gen. Maxilom Extension in Cebu City.

Gatchalian said the site was chosen because it is accessible to communities with significant needs and can accommodate a large number of beneficiaries.

He added that the location would also allow port workers and other laborers to access free meals during work breaks.

The facility likewise serves as a convenient access point for residents coming from different parts of Cebu Province and nearby urban areas.

The kitchen currently serves free lunch for the remainder of June. Beginning in July, it will provide both breakfast and lunch every day.

Breakfast service starts at 6 a.m., while lunch service begins at 11 a.m.

Operations run daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., including weekends and holidays, to ensure uninterrupted access to meals and social welfare services.

What to expect

Beneficiaries can expect balanced meals planned and monitored by in-house nutritionists and food safety personnel.

A typical meal consists of rice, soup, a protein viand, fruit, and free-flowing drinking water.

Beyond meal distribution, the facility also serves as an access point to various DSWD programs aimed at helping beneficiaries achieve long-term stability.

These services include intervention planning and referrals to temporary shelters for individuals and families without permanent homes through the Pag-abot Program.

Children visiting the facility may also be enrolled in the agency’s “Tara, Basa!” tutoring program to strengthen literacy and learning skills.

How to donate

The facility also operates as a food bank through partnerships with members of the Philippine Hotel Owners Association and various food establishments.

Gatchalian said participating establishments may donate excess food and other resources that can be distributed to beneficiaries after undergoing proper inspection.

All donated food items are checked by sanitation officers and nutritionists to ensure they are safe for consumption.

Prospective donors must first register through the agency’s commitment form before making contributions.

Accepted donations include packed meals, cooked food, ready-to-eat food and beverages, raw ingredients, fruits and vegetables, kitchen utensils, tableware, condiments, and other cooking essentials.

Donors are required to ensure that food items are safe to consume, properly labeled with contents and expiration dates, and stored at appropriate temperatures.

Donations may be delivered directly to the Walang Gutom Kitchen facility, subject to inspection.

When it will last

Gatchalian said the feeding center is intended to operate indefinitely.

The Walang Gutom Kitchen forms part of the national government’s Walang Gutom Program, its flagship initiative against hunger.

The Cebu City facility is the second Walang Gutom Kitchen established in the country. The first facility opened in Pasay City in December 2024.

Government officials said a third kitchen is expected to open in Zamboanga City in the coming months as the program continues to expand nationwide.

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