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Zero hunger bill encouraged by UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

Despite its fast economic growth, poverty and hunger remain pressing problems in the Philippines, ranking 29th in hunger incidence in the 2014 Human Development Index. In the face of lack of legislation to ensure Philippine citizens’ right to food, UN special rapporteur Hilal Elver recommends the swift passage of the Right to Food Bill, which encompasses the so-called “zero hunger in 10 years” proposal.

In her recent visit to the country, the rapporteur highlighted the existing disparity within Manila’s populations, where some benefit from “all the comforts of modern life [while] others are forced to live in extremely precarious conditions”. As a matter of fact, around 3.8 million households experienced hunger at least once in the last quarter, and almost 8 million children suffer from malnutrition, according to national and international data. 

Amongst the highlights of a preliminary report, she points out that many are “unable to produce their own food” and “are vulnerable to food price hikes”. “Any money they have, is spent on the little food they can afford, with nothing left over to cover other basic necessities such as access to healthcare, medication, or to cover the cost of basic school materials,” she adds.  

Emphasizing the government efforts to address this problem, Fian International agrees with the rapporteur and calls on the Filipino government to work more intensively on policies towards the realization of the right to food.

Find out more by watching this video on the Zero Hunger Bill.