Cadiz is ‘Walang Gutom’ Two-Peat Awardee Nationwide

Cadiz City was recently hailed as a two-peat awardee on “Walang Gutom”, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’s flagship program to combat hunger and malnutrition across the country.

Launched in 2024 thru the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Cadiz was among the 10 local government units across the country named as inaugural winners of “Walang Gutom” with the awarding rites held at Malacan̈ang Palace.

Last year, the list of winners for this national tilt, again, including Cadiz, was announced end week of December.

City Social Welfare and Development Officer Irene Javelona said the recognition reflects years of coordinated work across city offices and partner agencies.

The strength of the program lies in how it was implemented at the grassroots level, Javelona said. “What makes this award meaningful is that it reflects real work done in our barangays.”

Moreover, Javelona related that strong collaboration allowed the city to align programs, avoid duplication, and respond directly to the needs of families.

“Thus, this recognition encourages us to sustain these efforts and further improve our interventions so that no Cadiznon experiences hunger,” she said.

Cadiz Mayor Salvador Escalante, Jr. said “Walang Gutom” second victory was simply an attestation that, in Cadiz, food security remains a top priority of his administration.

“Walang Gutom always serves the foundation of our hope to address food insecurity across our city. We’re blessed with seas and lands hence we will always harness the potentials of these blessings not to allow hunger or malnutrition to thrive in Cadiz,” Escalante said.

Through food security initiatives, the city combines nutrition services, supplemental feeding, agricultural and food production support, and education-based interventions.

Then, these are delivered through a whole-of-government approach, ensuring that assistance is timely, coordinated, and responsive to community realities.

Escalante emphasized that “Walang Gutom” award is not only a milestone but also a responsibility.

“The local government has committed to strengthening and expanding its hunger mitigation programs while sharing best practices that may be replicated by other local government units,” he added.

With this newest achievement, he said the focus remains on the same goal: to see to it that every Cadiznon family has access to sufficient and nutritious food.

Aside from CSDWO, the “Walang Gutom” two-peat award was also made through the collaborative efforts of the city’s

Nutrition Office under the City Health Office (CHO), the Office of the City Agriculture (OCAG), the City Veterinary Office (CVO), and Department of Education – Schools Division Office of Cadiz (SDO Cadiz).* (BCPR)