Food and nutrition
security advocates challenged candidates to end hunger and malnutrition,
support small farmers, achieve food sufficiency, and address the threat of
climate change and natural disasters to food and nutrition.
The Philippine
Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) led the call in a
press forum in Quezon City, lamenting that millions of Filipinos, especially
the rural poor, continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition.
“Steady economic growth
has not translated to the improvement of lives of many Filipinos. While there
is reduction in the number of people experiencing hunger, there are still a lot
that needs to be done to achieve food and nutrition security in the country,”
said Romeo Dongeto, PLCPD executive director.
A recent Social
Weather Stations survey showed that the 2015 average hunger rate at 13.4 was
lowest since 2004. The 2013 National Nutrition Survey, however, found that one
in 10 adult Filipinos suffers from chronic energy deficiency. The same survey
also showed high prevalence of undernutrition among children – 19.9 percent of
children aged 0-5 years were underweight.
The Philippine
Coalition of Advocates for Nutrition Security (PhilCAN) attributed hunger and
malnutrition in the country to various factors, including natural disasters,
climate change and poor governance.
Moreover, the
Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (PKMP) lamented the sorry
state of agriculture in the country, contributing to high prevalence of poverty
and hunger among small farmers and rural communities.
“Ang isyu at usapin
ng kasiguruhan sa pagkain ay isang pangunahing pangangailan na dapat tugunan ng
kasalukuyang pamahalaan. Subalit matapos ang anim taon, nanatiling bigo ang
gobyernong Aquino na kagutuman sa kanayunan sapagkat malinaw ang tunguhin ng
pamahalaan na mas pangunahing suportahan ang agribusiness sa halip na kalingain
ang maliitang pagsasaka,” said Nestor Diego, Secretary General of PKMP.
(Addressing food
security should be top priority of the government. After 6 years, the Aquino
administration has failed to end hunger, particularly in the countryside. It is
clear that this administration favors agribusiness more than it cares for small
farmers.)
Meanwhile, Dir. Angel
Imperial, spokesperson of the National Food Authority, the main government
agency in charge of rice, the country’s staple food, said that they will keep
close watch to make sure that rice supply in the country remains sufficient,
and prices are stable and relatively low.
“The nation’s food
security cannot be overemphasized. After all, food security is synonymous to
national security,” added Dir. Imperial.
The 2016 election is
a critical opportunity for Filipinos to choose the leaders who will ensure food
and security in the country. This will require a commitment to address income
inequality and rural poverty by investing in rural economies to increase
employment, among others. This will also require a commitment to reform
policies and governance structures on food and nutrition security, Dongeto
said.
“Filipino voters
should elect a government that will deliver on our Sustainable Development
Goals commitment and take all necessary measures to address inequalities and
emerging issues like climate change to ensure that all people, particularly the
poor and vulnerable, are able to access, avail, and consume safe, nutritious
and sufficient food at all times,” Dongeto stressed.
For his part, Diego
said that it is important that the government support small farmers. “Ang dapat
gawin ng pamahalaan upang matugunan ang kasiguruhan sa pagkain at kahirapan ng
magbubukid sa kanayunan ay suportahan ang maliliit na magbubukid sa pamamagitan
ng seryosong pagpapatupad ng repormang agraryo, itigil ang land conversion sa
lupang agrikultural, suporta sa presyo ng produktong palay at pataasin ang
kakayahan ng NFA na bilhin ng mas marami ang ani ng magsasaka upang di
mapagsamantalahan ng mga traders,” he said.
(To achieve food
security and end rural poverty, the government should support small farmers by
implementing agrarian reform, preventing conversion of prime agricultural lands
to commercial use, influencing the farm-gate price of rice, and strengthening
the mandate of the NFA to buy local produce and protect farmers from traders.)
Furthermore, Dyan
Amee Rodriguez, PhilCAN vice lead convener, emphasized that the solution to
hunger and malnutrition lies in the collective and concerted effort of all
stakeholders, including the private sector.
“We can eradicate
malnutrition through consistent and scaled up initiatives, and use of accurate,
timely and credible information in designing and monitoring interventions,” she
said.
