‘RP hunger problem must be addressed’

The Arroyo administration is convening a high-level meeting of government agencies and representatives from the private sector to stem a rising incidence of hunger across the country.

Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said he is calling for a National Nutrition Council (NNC) meeting following a survey by pollster Social Weather Stations (SWS) that showed the number of Filipinos who went hungry in the past three months reached a new record high of 16.9 percent.

SWS said the figure is equivalent to about 2.8 million families.

Acknowledging that the government cannot ignore the survey results, Ermita said Malacañang wants an update on the administration’s programs aimed at easing poverty as well as the cost of living.

The NNC is the highest policy-making and coordinating body on nutrition in the country. It has a governing board composed of 10 government organizations and three representatives from the private sector.

"We are doing everything to help our people. We are implementing mitigating measures to avoid the prices of basic commodities from surging (due the increase in oil prices in the world market)," Ermita told an interview over dzRB radio.

"I will also call for a National Nutrition Council meeting and find out the status of various programs of the government agencies to address the needs of our countrymen. We know that their salaries are not enough and the prices of goods are high," Ermita said.

He added the National Anti-Poverty Commission had had meetings to see how the government could help the public cope with a possible spike in fuel prices as crude oil prices on the world market continue to rise.

The government has already taken measures to soften the impact of rising fuel prices on the cost of living.

Presidential chief of staff Michael Defensor admitted much should still be done to address hunger and poverty but stressed that administration has been trying to keep prices down.

The government had also lined up long-term projects such as investing in infrastructure to generate investments and jobs.

"Not everything is palliative. The government has been trying to institute the necessary reforms and make proper investments with the poor as the ultimate beneficiaries," Defensor said.

SWS said the incidence of hunger has been at double digits since the second quarter of 2004.

Severe hunger, defined as going hungry often or always, was at 4.2 percent last March, or about 700,000 families.

After reaching a peak of six percent in March 2001, incidence of severe hunger declined to a record low of 0.8 percent in March 2003 but then started going up to the present.

Moderate hunger, defined as those experiencing hunger once or a few times in the last three months, was at 12.7 percent in March, or about 2.1 million families.

SWS noted that incidence of moderate hunger has been going up since mid-2003.

The SWS survey was conducted from March 8 to 14 and 1,200 Filipinos were interviewed. The poll has an margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.

One left-leaning labor group, Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), largely blamed the hunger incidence on the government’s refusal to grant labor groups’ long-standing demand for a legislated wage increase.

"High unemployment rate and the widening gap in the cost of living and minimum wages due to skyrocketing prices of basic commodities are the culprits in the rising hunger trend," said KMU chairman Elmer Labog.

Businesses have been reluctant to grant wage hikes, saying they could raise costs and eventually lead to higher prices or retrenchment.

Labor groups, on the other hand, accuse the government of neglecting them and siding with businessmen.

Meanwhile, the National Wages and Productivity Commission welcomed a review of Republic Act 6727, otherwise known as the Wage Rationalization Act, to determine whether the law is still responsive to the requirements of the labor market.

Rebecca Calzado, the commission’s executive director, said yesterday that they welcome the review to disprove allegations that the regional tripartite wages and productivity boards, which are under the commission’s supervision, have been remiss in their duty to alleviate the plight of workers amid mounting calls for a wage increase.

Calzado debunked claims by House Deputy Majority Leader Antonio Cerilles and Davao del Sur Rep. Douglas Cagas that the regional wage boards (RWBs) had become "pro-capitalist" and "snail-paced" in issuing wage orders.

She denied that RWBs are pro-capitalist, pointing out that the labor sector is properly represented in the wage boards. Under the law, the labor sector is allowed two representatives who will participate in deciding whether to grant a wage hike petition or not.

"The assertion made by the two congressmen were misguided since the (boards), which were created by virtue of the Wage Rationalization Act, are tripartite in composition which ensures fair and adequate representation of interests of both labor and employers.

"Sectoral issues and concerns were also heard during public hearings and deliberations, which the boards conducted before the issuance of wage orders," she said.

Calzado said that contrary to the belief of some labor groups that the boards are snail-paced in acting on wage hike petitions, it takes an average of only 45 days from the conduct of the first public hearing to issue a wage order. 

"This is well within the 75-day period prescribed by law. In the 2005 round, the (boards) were able to issue their wage orders within the 30-day deadline given by President Arroyo. Aside from that, of the 170 wage orders issued by the (boards), 104 or 61 percent were issued motu propio, meaning the (boards) themselves initiated action or inquiry to determine the need for a wage issuance, despite the absence of a wage petition," she said.

Calzado added that one of the criteria used by the boards to determine fair and reasonable wage adjustments is the change in the prices of basic goods and services to compensate erosion in minimum wages.

"In the National Capital Region, the amount of increase actually granted by the NCR regional (wage) board is almost always higher than the amount needed to compensate for wage erosion," she said.

Calzado said Congress itself is having doubts on whether to pass a bill seeking to grant a legislated P125 daily wage increase, citing its potential effects on inflation, unemployment, competitiveness and trade unionism. — With James Mananghaya, AFP