Inter-agency collaborate plans to mitigate hunger incidence in the Visayas

By GAY B. GASPAY (PIA 8)
September 3, 2007

TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte  –  To address poverty and hunger incidence among Filipino families in the Visayas, an interagency group has collaborated to plan strategies to mitigate hunger in the Visayas region through the conduct of a Provincial Action Planning and Validation for the Provincial Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Programs in regions 7 and 8.

Led by the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) joined by the National Nutrition Council (NNC), South East Asia Center for Agriculture (SEARCA) and the Food Agriculture Office-United Nation (FAO-UN), the Visayas Cluster Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program Planning Workshop was held August 29-31 at Hotel Alejandro, Tacloban City.

With its objective to validate, update and develop the FY 2008-2010 Provincial, City and Municipal Hunger Mitigation Action Plans for priority one, priority two and priority three provinces, the workshop specifically assesses the hunger situation in its respective areas to identify who are the hungry, where are they, how many are they and why are they hungry? And identify existing hunger mitigation programs implemented by the national and local agencies based on the hunger mitigation framework focusing on the barangay level.

The workshop likewise aims to identify programs to be implemented by various national agencies mandated to address the gaps and determine mechanism to implement, monitor and evaluate implementation of hunger mitigation programs.

Attended by some 40 Provincial Planning Development Officers, Provincial Nutrition Officers and Regional Directors of national agencies from regions 7 and 8, the hunger mitigation measures includes an increasing food production through productivity programs on livestock, crops, marine regeneration of mangrove and coastal fishery development farm family Gulayan ng Masa and irrigation which is being implemented by  DA, Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA);

Enhancing efficiency of logistics & food delivery such as the Barangay Food Terminal & Tindahan Natin of DA, National Food Authority (NFA) & Dept. of Social Welfare & Development (DSWD), the ports (RORO) using private ports shipping manned by DOTC & Phil. Ports Authority, the farm to market roads of DPWH, DAR, DA and AFP. Efficient local transport of the LGU, DILG & PNP, the Food for School Programs of DepED & DSWD, creation of NGOs network to support feeding programs and the Community tradeable rice certificates from NFA.

Put more money in poor people’s pockets through an improve productivity in coconut areas such as coconut coir, coconet production of Phil. Coconut Authority, More aggressive micro financing, maximizing employment opportunities in construction & maintenance of farm-to-market roads, irrigation, roadside maintenance of DPWH, MMDA, PNP, NIA, DAR, DA & AFP, Aggressive training of TESDA, DOLE, DSWD & CHED and the Upland land distribution of jatropha, rubber of DAR & DENR.

And promote good nutrition through the conduct of social marketing, promotion of breastfeeding complementary feeding & increased consumption of vegetables to include nutrition education in schools and manage population through responsible parenthood.