MANILA, Philippines—The Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday lauded the government’s pronouncements that it would prioritize food security amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, the chair of the Zero Hunger Task Force and Co-Chair of the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, said the government will roll out the plans for the National Food Policy this October to complement its COVID-19 response.
“With or without the pandemic, the Commission is in full support of strategies that are geared towards eradicating hunger and achieving food security in the country,” said CHR Spokesperson Atty. Jacqueline Ann de Guia.
”We have previously expressed concern over the impacts of COVID-19 on the nutrition status of Filipinos, and continuously underscored the State’s responsibility to ensure respect, protection, and promotion of the human right to food and all related human rights in decisions taken to contain the pandemic.”
De Guia urged the line agencies to guarantee that the implementation of the food security policy should be coherent with the principles of economic, social, and cultural rights while ensuring that these actions won’t have any discriminatory effect especially on the marginalized sectors of society.
She added that the CHR will continue to push for the passage of the Zero Hunger Bill for stronger protection of the Filipinos’ right to adequate food.
“Realizing the basic right to food goes hand in hand with upholding people’s rights to life, health, an adequate standard of living, and healthy and functional environment,” said de Guia.
“Resorting to more sustainable ways of food production is crucial in alleviating the problem of hunger.”