Font size: 
The hunger situation is alarming. The National Statistical Coordination Board, which is a government agency, stated that more than 11 million Filipinos were considered food-poor or living below subsistence level in 2003. Hunger is prevalent mostly in the southern regions of the Philippines.
According to the Food and Nutrition Research Institute, almost 10 million families had a per capita food intake below 100 percent of the dietary energy requirement in 2003. The Food and Agricultural Organization in 2005 reported that there were more than 17 million undernourished Filipinos.
Food insecurity is blamed for the fact that many preschool children are underweight and malnourished. An economist pointed out that "inadequate food can adversely influence workers' productivity." The World Bank in 1996 estimated that the total annual economic loss due to malnutrition was about US$8 billion.
The main reason why hunger is worsening is the people's lack of income to buy food. A government-sponsored survey in 2001 revealed that eight out of 10 households experienced financial difficulty in purchasing food. The National Statistics Office also noted that Filipino families are spending less on food items. In 1994 about 48 percent of household expenditures were allotted for food. A decade later, the share of food expenditures went down to 42 percent.
Rice used to be the staple food of Filipinos. Now it is quickly being replaced by instant noodles which are cheaper but less nutritious. Politicians are even doling out instant noodles in urban poor communities and evacuation centers in calamity-stricken provinces.
Food supplies are stable but they are available mostly in areas where people have enough income for food expenditures. The unequal distribution of income in the country explains the seemingly low demand for food in low-income places.
A political ally and economic adviser of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has warned that the hunger crisis will be worse this year. The analyst observed that the price in the world market of corn had gone up by 88 percent, coconut oil by 96 percent, rice by up to 54 percent, soybeans by 103 percent, soybean meal by 85 percent and wheat by 148 percent.
The higher cost of these basic commodities will force more Filipinos to spend less on food. Oil price hikes will also affect the cost of transporting food supplies which will definitely aggravate starvation in the country.
The disturbing hunger situation unmasks the exaggerated economic report of the government. The prevalence of hunger proves that sound economic fundamentals are just empty statistics. Progress is not felt by ordinary Filipinos. Economic growth has little "trickle-down" effect which is essential to improve the well-being of the people.
Hunger is the face of abject poverty. It is a disquieting reflection of the sad state of affairs in a country known for its world-class fruits and other food exports. Hunger drives many Filipinos to use radical means to achieve reforms in society.
Landless and starving peasants comprise the majority of the communist guerrilla forces in the Philippine countryside. Some Filipinos express their despair by committing suicide. Last year, a 12-year-old girl hanged herself out of desperation over her family's very poor condition.
State intervention is urgently needed. It is good that hunger mitigation programs are now implemented in different provinces of the country. Government outlets are providing cheaper food items. Food rationing is offered in some places. Food aid is spearheaded by U.N. agencies in very poor villages.
A rice distribution program is conceptualized in schools to improve school attendance and reduce hunger at the same time. These programs need to be shielded from corruption. For example, local politicians are allegedly interfering with the school feeding program by hoarding rice supplies.
The government should rethink its program of planting biofuel crops. Policymakers should decide whether it is right to prioritize ethanol generation over food production at a time when hunger rates are rising. Focusing on biofuels could exacerbate the hunger situation. The available fertile lands in the country should be cultivated for the food requirements of the people.
The long-term solution to hunger is the improvement of the nation's productivity. The government should stimulate the economy by investing in industries that would create more jobs and livelihoods for the poor. The people should have sufficient incomes to increase their food expenditures.
Good governance is required to make sure that hunger mitigation programs are implemented properly. Reducing corruption in government can generate more resources that can be used to fund research on how to improve food production. Distribution of food supplies should target communities where hunger rates are very high.
Hunger should not be a major issue in a predominantly agricultural nation like the Philippines. But statistics show that many Filipinos have nothing to eat on their tables. The irony here is that the Philippines was able to achieve spectacular economic growth for successive 25 quarters.
If the economy is improving, why are there many hungry Filipinos? If hunger persists, it only proves that the fruits of a maturing economy are not enjoyed by the poor and ordinary people.
--
(Mong Palatino is a Filipino youth activist, news editor of Yehey!, a Philippine-based web portal and Global Voices correspondent. He can be reached at mongpalatino@gmail.com and his Web site is www.mongpalatino.motime.com. ©Copyright Mong Palatino.)
