DSWD to Walang Gutom beneficiaries: Attend 3K sessions or lose food aid

LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — Beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Program have been reminded to attend the mandatory Kalusugan, Kakayahan, at Kabuhayan (3K) Sessions to remain eligible for monthly food assistance.

The agency said participation in the learning sessions is one of the program’s key requirements, adding that repeated absences without valid reasons could lead to the suspension of food redemption privileges and, eventually, removal from the program.

READ: Walang Gutom beneficiaries hit 600K nationwide — DSWD

Mandatory participation under Walang Gutom program

The reminder followed reports that some beneficiaries failed to attend their scheduled 3K Sessions despite prior coordination with Community Engagement Coordinators (CECs) and field personnel.

Under the Walang Gutom Program, beneficiaries are required to attend 3K Sessions, which include Nutrition Education Sessions and Productivity Enhancement Sessions.

The sessions form part of the agency’s efforts to encourage healthier habits and help beneficiaries become more self-sufficient.

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

DSWD compliance measures

For a first violation, a CEC or field staff member will issue a notice of non-compliance, which the beneficiary must acknowledge.

A second violation will lead to a home visit and a warning letter. The beneficiary’s food redemption will also be temporarily suspended until they attend the next required session.

If a beneficiary fails to comply for a third time, program staff, together with a social welfare officer or compliance and verification officer, will conduct another home visit to determine whether the household should remain in the program under closer monitoring.

Valid reasons for absence

The DSWD clarified that beneficiaries may be excused from attending a session if they have valid reasons and can submit the required means of verification.

Acceptable reasons include medical emergencies, pregnancy-related health risks, civil disturbances or armed conflict, incarceration, and caregiving responsibilities for a family member with a critical illness.

READ: DSWD launches mobile crisis intervention unit

The agency also recognizes gender-based violence within the family, including physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, as a valid reason for non-attendance.

Other acceptable grounds include natural disasters or calamities, inaccessible areas due to difficult terrain or lack of road access, socio-cultural or religious conflicts, mobility-related disabilities, death in the family, and other comparable circumstances.

Food redemption in Central Visayas

The DSWD said 25,537 beneficiaries across Central Visayas were expected to redeem their food packages during Food Redemption Month 6, which ran from June 15 to July 3, 2026.

The Walang Gutom Program is currently being implemented in 89 local government units across the region, including 53 in Cebu and 36 in Bohol.

READ: DSWD enrolls additional 300,000 beneficiaries for Walang Gutom program

For the sixth food redemption cycle this year, only beneficiaries listed under the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction were eligible to receive assistance.

The DSWD said food redemption for households identified through the Community-Based Monitoring System (CBMS) remained temporarily on hold.

Under the Walang Gutom Program, beneficiaries may redeem food aid credits worth P3,000 using their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards at DSWD-accredited retailers in their respective cities and municipalities.

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