House working to ensure food security — solon
NEOPHYTE lawmaker said the House of Representatives is striving to achieve food security for Filipinos.
Quezon City Representative PM Vargas said there are comprehensive legislative measures to bolster the nation’s agricultural sector and tackling hunger.
Vargas said the proposed policies offer a multi-pronged approach to address perpetual challenges in food availability, value-chain production, and sustainable agricultural practices as means to promote a more resilient and equitable food system.
Pending before the House Committee on Agriculture and Food Security are HB 3777 or “Livestock, Poultry and Dairy Development Competitive Act”; HB 4562 or the “Right to Adequate Food Framework Act”; HB 7898 otherwise known as the “Zero Food Waste Act” and a number of local bills such as Kadiwa ni Ani at Saka Program by the Department of Agriculture.
While most of the measures are currently pending with the respective committees, Vargas remains hopeful that his efforts will be fast-tracked to help address the growing incidence of hunger in the Philippines.
In his proposed legislations, the lawmaker presents policies to lower the incidence of hunger through initiatives to improve the country’s food affordability, availability, quality, and safety; institutionalize sustainable direct market linkages between accredited local farmers and fisherfolks; and empower and capacitate livestock, poultry and dairy industries through a development roadmap.
The recent survey by OCTA Research Group for the last quarter of 2023 reveals that half of Filipinos remain concerned that they “do not have enough to eat every day”. More than those who are concerned “to have a secure and well-paying job” and “to finish school or to be able to provide schooling for children”. The study further exposes that involuntary hunger is highest in the areas of Visayas and Mindanao.
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