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Hindi pa man nakaka-upo ang bagong Administrasyon, hinamon na ng advocacy group Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD)  si President-elect Rodrigo Duterte at mga miyembro ng incoming 17th Congress na iprioritize at wakasan na ang matinding tag-gutom at malnutrisyon sa bansa.

Ito ang tinalakay sa Pandesal Forum sa Quezon City, na dinaluhan nina PLCPD, Executive Director Romeo Dongito; World Food Programme (WFP) Philippines Dr. Martin Parenno, at Convener, Philippine Coalition of Advocates for Nutrition Security (PHILCAN) Ms. Kathrine Yee,

Ang nasabing Press Forum on Food and Nutriton Security  ay may temang “Ensuring nutrition, nurturing a brighter future.”

Sa opening remarks, ipinaliwanag ni Executive Director Dongito ang Food and nutrition agenda para sa pagpasok ng bagong administration . Kasunod nito ang pagpapaliwanag naman ni Dr. Parenno sa Nutrition security: A multi-faceted issue at ang huling nagsalita ay si Ms. Cathrine Yee na tinalakay ang Scaling Up Nutrition: Perspective from civil society.

Nanawagan din si PLCPD executive director Dongeto, sa susunod na administrasyon at Kongreso na pagtuunan ng pansin at gawan ng agarang aksiyon ang pinakamatinding problema ng bansa, kasama ang kagutuman at malnutrisyon.

“We have a lot of things yet to do to achieve food and nutrition security. The next government should look into a wide range of issues, from agriculture to trade, from infrastructure to financing, from healthcare to clean water and sanitation,” ayon kay Dongeto.

Sinabi pa ni Dongeto, “achieving food and nutrition security should begin with the review of the implementation of existing laws and programs.”

“We have many good laws on food and nutrition. There are at least 21 government agencies with mandates that directly or indirectly affect the many facets of food and nutrition security. Yet millions of Filipinos still experience hunger, chronic malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency,” dagdag pa nito.

Sinasabing nitong nakaraang  2015, 13.4% na mga  Filipinos ang nakararanas ng taggutom, Ito’y ayon umano sa Social Weather Stations. 33 sa 100 na mga bata na may edad lima ay “bansot” o maliit para sa ganong edad. Samantalang  ang 7 sa 100 mga bata sa parehong edad ay payat para sa kanilang taas, ayon naman sa Food and Nutrition Research Institute (2015).

Ibig sabihin lamang, na isa sa bawat 10 Filipino na may edad na ay nakaranas na ng chronic energy deficiency. Ito’y base naman sa 2013 National Nutrition Survey.

“President-elect Duterte should deliver on his promise of eradicating poverty, especially in the rural areas, by empowering small farmers and fisherfolk. The next government should develop the countryside, create sustainable livelihood and help farmers and fisherfolk withstand the impact of climate change and natural disasters”, ayon pa kay Dongeto..(Click picture below to enlarge)

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