Recent reports highlighting a rising hunger rate among Filipinos nationwide has caught the attention of Senator Loren Legarda who noted that it was the highest recorded since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.

According to the survey published by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) on Tuesday, 14 January, 25.9 percent of Filipino households admitted to experiencing hunger at least once in the past three months.

Mindanao recorded the highest hunger rate at 30.3 percent, followed by Luzon at 25.3 percent, and Visayas at 24.4 percent. Metro Manila recorded the hunger rate at 22.2 percent.

In light of the country’s growing food security issues, Legarda reiterated her strong commitment to developing additional programs to address food shortages and promote sustainable food systems across the nation. She emphasized the importance of a whole-of-government approach to ensuring greater access to food for Filipinos and reducing food waste.

Alarms raised

“The recent survey by the SWS is deeply alarming and serves as a wake-up call for those of us in public service. I have consistently advocated for our kababayan’s overall health and welfare. As elected officials of this country, we must not turn a blind eye to this pressing social issue,” Legarda said.

“I say this with conviction: Our responsibility is to ensure that no Filipino goes to bed hungry. No Filipino faces the shame of not having enough food on their dining table. We must see to it that food security becomes a reality in every household. Remember that our great nation cannot thrive if more and more Filipinos go hungry every single day,” she added.

As a four-term senator, Legarda has pushed for the passage of several bills that guarantee Filipinos’ access to adequate food, even for the generations to come.

The senator filed Senate Bill 240, or the Zero Food Waste Act of 2022, a measure intended to adopt a system that promotes food waste reduction. This would also urge government agencies to conduct a National Zero Food Waste Campaign and raise awareness on related issues.

She also filed the Food Forest Gardening Act, which aims to promote agroforestry and give Filipino farmers a chance to cultivate low-maintenance food forests.

Likewise, the senator has continued to reiterate her unyielding support for local produce by bringing her initiative “Bayong-All-You-Can” to the Senate the past two years, where tons of fresh vegetables and other crops, brought directly from the farmers through Rural Rising Ph, were distributed to Senate employees.

This project is anchored in various pieces of legislation she authored, including the Organic Agriculture Act, Agri-Agra Reform Credit Act and the Rural Farm Schools Act.

“I have always believed that food security is a strong foundation for a healthy and productive country. We must acknowledge the threat that this problem continues to pose to our society. Beyond sympathy, we must offer real and long-term solutions. We must continue investing in the Filipino people by guaranteeing them inclusive access to food,” Legarda stressed.