President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday personally served meals to beneficiaries of the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Walang Gutom Kitchen (WGK) in Pasay City, marking his first visit to the site.

During his visit to the WGK facility in the Nasdake Building on Williams Street, Pasay City, President Marcos interacted with the beneficiaries who live on the streets and experience involuntary hunger.

The WGK in Pasay City is the first site opened by the DSWD after their feeding program was launched in December last year.

The President was accompanied by DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DSWD Undersecretary for Innovations Edu Punay, and Pasay City Mayor Emi Calixto-Rubiano.

Upon his arrival just after 11 a.m., President Marcos went directly to the kitchen counter. The President took the lead in distributing meals that included rice, meat, noodles, soup, vegetables, and fruits to the DSWD beneficiaries.

The President, who wore the red cap and red apron worn by WGK volunteers, also toured the area, inspecting the process by which beneficiaries would access the kitchen’s benefits.

President Marcos afterwards sat down with the beneficiaries, who sang him “Happy birthday.”

The DSWD gave the President a blue birthday cake with the logo of the Walang Gutom Program, SWS Hunger Tracker. “Happy Birthday, Mr. President, from the DSWD Family” was written on the cake.

The President then sliced the cake and served it to the beneficiaries, and handed out cupcakes and other food as well.

The Pasay City WGK serves breakfast and lunch daily, from Monday to Sunday, to around 600 people, according to the DSWD. It is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The WGK aims to provide nutritious meals to target beneficiaries and walk-in clients, promote the significance of nutrition to overall development, facilitate case management of individuals and families in street situations, and promote community development in line with Republic Act No. 9803 or the Food Donation Act of 2009.

The target beneficiaries of the WGK are children, individuals, and families in street situations, as well as Filipinos experiencing involuntary hunger.

On December 16, 2024, the DSWD launched the Walang Gutom Kitchen in Pasay, with First Lady Louise Araneta-Marcos leading the volunteers in distributing hot meals to the kitchen’s beneficiaries. ǀ PND