On Oct. 14, 2026, the Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that 233,930 families, or 561,757 people, had been affected across 3,893 barangays.
The department said it had distributed relief assistance worth ₱765.58 million. That included 52,512 family food packs. It also distributed 4,967 other food items and 2,300 non-food items. Nationwide stocks stood at 4,401,178 family food packs, 341,449 non-food items and 216,273 boxes of ready-to-eat food, according to the Philippine Information Agency.
Food insecurity is also rising. A Social Weather Stations survey released Oct. 14 found that 22.6% of families had experienced involuntary hunger in September, up from 20.3% in June. The poll surveyed 1,500 adults from Sept. 21 to 27. Its margin of error was plus or minus three percentage points. The September figure included 6.4% reporting severe hunger and 16.2% reporting moderate hunger, Malaya reported.
Against that backdrop, DOST-FNRI is seeking qualified companies to produce four shelf-stable emergency meals. The products are called Ready for Everyday and Emergency Situations-Quality Meal, or ResQ Meals. The institute says it has received several letters of intent, which are being processed. Commercial availability is targeted for the first or second quarter of 2027, subject to partner selection.
The four products have different nutrition profiles. Champro+ is a chocolate porridge made with rice and cocoa. It also contains dairy and plant-based protein. Each 250-gram pack provides 14 grams of protein and 9 grams of dietary fiber.
Enerbisc is a milk biscuit developed with children's nutritional needs in mind. An 80-gram serving provides at least 360 kilocalories.
The savory options are KAIN Na! and Nameaaat. KAIN Na! combines rice with chicken and mixed vegetables in a low-sodium ready-to-eat meal. Nameaaat pairs chicken with sweet potato and a reduced-sodium soy-based sauce.
The meals remain unavailable commercially while DOST-FNRI looks for partners.
The institute presented the products at the Handa Pilipinas 2026 Visayas Leg in Palo, Leyte. Jaypy De Juan, DOST-FNRI's Supervising Science Research Specialist and head of its Technology Transfer and Commercialization section, said emergency food planning should account for nutrition as well as energy needs.
De Juan said the meals should follow the "Pinggang Pinoy" concept, which promotes a balance of "go, grow, glow" foods. For adults, the visual guide assigns half the plate to fruits and vegetables. Energy-giving foods take one-third, while protein-rich foods take one-sixth.
DSWD Field Office VII says the guide helps Filipinos understand portions and make healthier choices. The department also applies it at Walang Gutom Kitchen Cebu, as described in its program account. DOST-FNRI's announcement gives selected nutrition details, but not a complete nutrient profile or ingredient amounts for every product. The gap between nutrition messaging and verified evidence is also examined in this earlier evidence review.
DOST-FNRI is seeking food manufacturers and investors able to meet commercialization requirements. It is also looking for other industry players. Handa Pilipinas is an annual Department of Science and Technology initiative promoting science and technology solutions for disaster risk reduction and management.
