The government must focus on ensuring food security, taming inflation, and strengthening multisectoral collaboration to achieve the goal of attaining zero hunger by 2030, the National Nutrition Council said.
The three priority actions were cited by NNC Nutrition Surveillance Division officer-in-charge Ellen Ruth Abella during a Laging Handa program.
The recommendation was made after President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. signed Executive Order 27 on May 18, reorgani-zing the Task Force on Zero Hunger, the body tasked to ensure the implementation of “coordinated, responsive, and effective” government policies, initiatives and projects to eliminate hunger.
Abella said the government must address challenges on food security to avoid the risk of malnutrition among Filipinos.
“We have three suggestions which could be considered as priority actions to achieve President Marcos’ zero hunger policy,” she said.
“First is addressing the challenges on food security, which is also the banner program of our President and can be linked to malnutrition,” Abella said.
She also stressed the need to take necessary steps to lower the price of basic commodities, especially of several food items such as rice, eggs and onions.
“It means we have to fix our food systems, network to ensure that there is sufficient food supply for every Filipino family,” she added.
Abella said eradicating hunger also requires multisectoral coordination and collaboration.
She said the government and its partners in the private sector must unite in implementing key action plans to achieve zero hunger.
“If we do not help each other, the government and key sectors, we will not achieve our goal,” Abella said.
The Task Force on Zero Hunger, created by virtue of EO 101 signed in 2020, is mandated to formulate a National Food Policy (NFP), which will outline national priorities based on a comprehensive understanding of the problem of hunger and related issues.
The NFP will also provide a roadmap for achieving zero hunger taking into consideration existing laws and issuances, as well as international law and treaty obligations.
Under the NFP, initiatives for ending hunger, achieving food security, improving nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture will be identified.
Marcos’ EO 27 reorganized the task force, headed by the now-defunct Office of the Cabinet Secretary, to transfer chairmanship to the secretary of Department of Social Welfare and Development and the executive director of the NNC.
In line with the issuance of EO 27, the DSWD is set to launch its “Walang Gutom 2027” food stamp program by the first quarter of 2024, benefitting at least one million poor households.
The program will be pilot tested from July to December this year.
The NNC, on the other hand, would come up with a Philippine Plan of Action for Nutrition consisting of strategies to address food insecurity and malnutrition. – PNA
