Multi-sectoral movement Pilipinas Kontra Gutom (PKG) is eyeing to reduce the number of hungry Filipinos by 1 million next year in line with the country’s commitment to achieve zero hunger by 2030 under the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
On top of this, PKG, which comprises government agencies, nongovernment organizations, academe and private sector, said it plans to raise farmers’ income this year by as much as 20 percent.
PKG noted that there are 4 million hungry Filipinos today made worse by the consequences of the Covid-19 pandemic.
PKG, a nationwide multi-sectoral anti-hunger movement, was formally launched on Monday by the government, led by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, who chairs the Task Force on Zero Hunger and the private sector.
“PKG is adopting a whole-of-nation approach to achieve its immediate and long-term goals of addressing involuntary hunger and malnutrition in the Philippines—an urgent concern given the millions of families that grapple with hunger in the country,” the group said in a news statement.
The PKG’s initial projects will “focus on key result areas of concern in order to organize sustainable initiatives for targeted beneficiaries that will address challenges with regard to food availability and accessibility, adequate nutrition, and crises assistance.”
The movement’s projects include farmer assistance, sustainable nutrition programs, disaster response, and food banking.
Under farmer assistance, the PKG said they plan to expand value chain projects and logistics improvements. The PKG said they plan to double farmers income and productivity by 2025.
PKG said they will roll out projects that will “achieve zero undernourished Filipino children across all households by 2030.” These projects include promotion of proper breastfeeding, to address malnutrition, and rolling out of nutritious meals for Filipino households.
As for disaster response, the PKG said: “Private sector companies will work to revolutionize their disaster response in close partnership and coordination with the attached national agencies and local government units in order to streamline the private sector’s efforts to facilitate a prepared, synchronized, and targeted action flow for food security when crises strike.”
PKG said an effort to create a food bank will start with the “initiation of food surplus assessments among food manufacturers, restaurants, supermarkets, and public markets in Metro Manila, with the food surplus from donors eventually allocated for distribution to those in need.”
PKG said it has about 70 partners from private companies, nonprofit groups and various organizations today, which include Jollibee Foods Corp., Nestlé Philippines, Universal Robina Corp., Unilab, McDonald’s Philippines, among others.
The PKG said they also have partner foundations such as ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Aboitiz Foundation, Ayala Foundation, Caritas, Gawad Kalinga, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Jollibee Group Foundation and more.