‘System in place to ensure food security’

SYSTEMS are now in place for both the government and the private sector to ensure food security in the country amid the challenges brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic and natural calamities, a Palace official said on Friday.

Speaking at the anniversary of the Inter-agency Task Force on Zero Hunger’s (IATF-ZH), acting Palace spokesman Karlo Alexei Nograles cited the launch of the National Food Policy (NFP) that aims to improve the national nutrition situation and eliminate hunger.

“Systems are now in place that ensure both the government and the private sector are able to meet the needs of food security,” said Nograles, who is also the chairman of the IATF-ZH.

“President Duterte gave us the mandate to improve the national nutrition situation and eliminate hunger. In one year and despite the Covid-19 pandemic, we were able to formulate a comprehensive National Food Policy and saw its implementation all the way to year two,” he added.

Nograles said the NFP provided a guide and roadmap to state food policy and identified priorities on the use of limited resources.

He also enumerated various initiatives of the IATF-ZH, including the creation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty, implementation of the Kasapatan at Ugnayan ng Mamamayan sa Akmang Pagkain at Nutrisyon Webinar Series, pilot feeding programs under the First 1000 Days of Life, launching of Pilipinas Kontra Gutom, formulation of the Philippine Multisectoral Nutrition Project Proposal for the World Bank, Gulayan sa Barangay at sa Pamayanan programs and various livelihood projects aimed at uplifting the lives of farmers and fisherfolk.

“We’ve faced typhoons, natural disasters and other calamities on top of the continuing scourge of Covid-19. Despite these, we were able to tackle the nutrition and food concerns of our countrymen particularly in affected areas,” Nograles said.

The Palace official also mentioned the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey that 10 percent of families nationwide (2.5 million Filipinos) experienced involuntary hunger or hunger caused by lack of access to food at least once from July to September 2021.

“For September 2021, the hunger rate was 3.6 percentage points lower than the 13.6 percent logged for June 2021 and 11.1 points lower than the 2020 annual average of 21.1 percent. The latest figures, however, are 0.7 points above the 2019 yearly average of 9.3 percent, ” Nograles said.

The SWS figures, according to him, were a good indication of the impact of the task force’s programs and advocacies.

“One of our targets was the sector of pregnant women and 0- to 23-monthold children, as well as those in daycare centers and elementary schools,” Nograles said.

“Our feeding programs were successful in improving the nutritional needs of our young Filipinos who are at a crucial development stage,” he added.

Joining the online celebration were President Duterte, Agriculture Secretary William Dar, Social Welfare Secretary Rolando Bautista, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello 3rd and Agrarian Reform Acting Secretary Bernie Cruz among others.