Food on every table

A recent report said the National Food Authority plans to sell aging rice stocks to free up warehouse space and prevent waste. At first glance, it sounds like a technical decision: inventory management, storage capacity, logistics.

But beneath it lies a deeper question that touches every Filipino home: Is there food on every table?

Food security is not simply about how much rice sits in government warehouses. It is about certainty: the quiet assurance that a mother can prepare a meal for her children, that no child goes to bed hungry, and that the farmers who feed our nation are treated with dignity.

I remember a story from a small community. A mother was cooking porridge, stretching what little rice she had to fill more bowls than it could reasonably serve. When asked why, she smiled and said, “It is better that the soup is thin than a child goes without food.” In her simple act, we see the heart of generosity. Sharing, even in scarcity.

Another story comes from a farmer in Nueva Ecija. Despite low farmgate prices, he continued to plant, season after season. Not only for his own family, but for others. One year, a neighboring farmer lost his harvest to a storm. Without hesitation, he gave a portion of his own yield, not from abundance, but out of compassion so his neighbor could begin again.

This is the human face of food security. It is not measured in tons or metrics alone, but in the willingness of people to care for one another.

Yet we cannot rely on individual kindness alone. It must be supported by clear and effective governance. Proper storage, efficient distribution, and genuine support for our farmers are not optional, they are responsibilities.

When food is wasted, someone goes hungry. When harvests are undervalued, families struggle.

As a mother, and as someone committed to public service, I believe food security must be a top priority. It should never be delayed, never treated as secondary. Because every grain of rice carries with it the life and hopes of a Filipino family.

As it is written in Scripture: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.” (Proverbs 22:9)

In the end, the true measure of our nation’s progress is not the volume of what we produce, but the depth of what we are willing to share.

Food on every table, this is not just a goal. It is a promise.

A promise of care. A promise of unity. A promise of a truly generous heart.