Duterte okays expanded anti-hunger program

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the expanded anti-hunger program, as his administration aims to eradicate the problem by 2030.

Duterte gave the green light to the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program during the 42nd Cabinet Meeting in Malacañang on Friday.

“Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles requested for the approval of the Enhanced Partnership against Hunger and Poverty, which is geared towards addressing hunger mitigation, food security and poverty-reduction. This was approved by the Chief Executive,” Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a statement.

Nograles earlier said the Social Weather Stations survey conducted in June this year “reinforces the government’s decision to step up its #GoodbyeGutom efforts to address hunger by the second half of President Duterte’s term.”

Based on the survey, 35 percent of Filipino families considered themselves “food poor.” This is 8 percentage points higher than the 27 percent recorded in March 2019.

Nograles said even before the new poll came out, Duterte had already directed members of the Cabinet “to align the different anti-hunger and poverty-reduction initiatives of the various agencies so that our programs can be more effective and will have an impact on more Filipinos, especially children.”

“The same whole- of- government approach that has proven effective in other government initiatives will be adopted and applied to address hunger,” the Cabinet secretary added.