Passage of National Food Security bill pushed

MANILA, Philippines - Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo pushed yesterday for the immediate passage of the bill that seeks to streamline food procurement and food distribution systems nationwide to address hunger and malnutrition, especially among children.

Robredo authored the National Food Security Bill that would also create a feeding program for children aged one to 13 years.

“The eradication of hunger and poverty should be our utmost priority,” the lawmaker said in her bill.

“The very first freedom that has to be won is freedom from hunger. When you are always concerned about where the next meal will come from, everything else becomes irrelevant,” she said, quoting the late Sen. Benigno Aquino Jr.

She said a national feeding program is not enough to completely end hunger in the country.

“Giving the people access to food is only the first step to solving the problem. We must create a mechanism where food production and food distribution are sustainable,” Robredo said.

Under the bill, a system where small-scale food producers are identified and the government is mandated to procure at least 30 percent of supplies needed for the feeding program from them, ensuring constant revenues. 

“We hope to address hunger by alleviating poverty. This can be done by establishing a national feeding program in conjunction with the creation of a sustainable livelihood program for our small-scale producers,” she said.