The UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) has launched the FAO Legislative Advisory Group-Philippines (FLAG-PH), a move that aims to ensure food security and nutrition in the Philippines
The Philippines continues to face challenges in addressing food insecurity and malnutrition, with 1.3mn families or 8.3mn Filipinos unable to meet their basic food needs in 2015, according to a report by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Moreover, despite the country’s economic growth in recent years, poverty incidence remains high at an estimated 21.6 per cent of the population.
“Farmers and fisherfolk consistently rank among the poorest. Incidence of malnutrition, especially in children 0-5 years old, remains prevalent in the most impoverished regions of the country including Mindanao,” said FAO.
This parliamentary alliance, initially composed of 10 legislators from both houses of Congress, is envisaged to tackle national food security and nutrition issues by taking the necessary legislative actions that would impact on the agriculture, fisheries, forestry and environment and natural resources sectors.
