As the enhanced community quarantine extends, Pasig City government continues to make innovations and level up its emergency response for Pasiguenos. In addition to the mobile markets, they found another way of making food more accessible to families. They provided Food Coupons to public elementary school children. As the Chair of the City Nutrition Committee, Mayor Vico Sotto is clear on his objective in preventing hunger and malnutrition among children particularly during this public health emergency.

"Gusto natin iwasan 'yung stunting, malnutrition ng ating mga mag-aaral. Sila po yung kinabukasan ng ating lungsod, ng ating bayan, kaya may hiwalay na programa po tayo para sa mga public school students natin. Ayaw natin na hindi sila nakakakain nang tama, kaya pandagdag lang po ito pambili ng gatas, gulay, para masustansya yung kinakain ng mga bata," - Sotto said in one of his interviews on TV.

Around 130,000 school children from public elementary schools benefited from this food coupon project which started on April 14, 2020. Each student was given four (4) food coupons with one hundred peso value per coupon. The food coupon can be exchanged for its redeemable value of fresh foods at Pasig City Mega Market, Mobile Palengke and selected Talipapa in different barangays in the city. The food coupons cannot be exchanged for non-food items.

The parents/caregivers received the food coupons after surrendering either their child’s school identification card, library card or birth certificate to the personnel assigned in designated barangay or schools. Social distancing was observed during the distribution of the food coupons. The student beneficiaries can get back their identification document from their school principal once classes resume. 

“Dito sa Barangay Buting, nagamit na namin ang coupon para sa mga pagkain na kailangan naming gulay isda karne at iba...” attests Rolando Santos Pasion, a food coupon beneficiary.  

Pasig City has again demonstrated that there are many ways of helping families meet their food needs. Their Food Coupon Project is a good example of a doable and effective strategy to mitigate hunger during this COVID-19 pandemic. (ELF/NPC MEVF/NNC-NCR)

Reference: https://www.actionagainsthunger.org/sites/default/files/publications/ACF_Fresh_Food_Voucher_Good_Practice_Guide_2012.pdf