The stagnant hunger rates should be a cause of alarm for the Marcos administration, says House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Albay 2nd district Rep. Joey Salceda.

This, after a Social Weather Station (SWS) survey found that the overall involuntary hunger rate decreased from 11.6 percent in June 2022 to 11.3 percent in October 2022, meaning that an estimated 2.9 million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months.

“It’s alarming that despite more reopening of the economy, hunger remains stubborn. This, I attribute in large part to high inflation with a still-fluid jobs situation. But the availability of cheap food at all times is also clearly a major cause. Metro Manila, where inflation has been lower than most other regions, has the highest hunger rate among the major groupings,” Salceda said.

Metro Manila has the highest hunger rate at 16.3 percent of families or about 558,000 families. It has had the highest rate since July 1998. Mindanao followed at 15.3 percent. Balance Luzon or Luzon outside of Metro Manila clocked in at 9.6 percent. Lastly, Visayas had a rate of 7.0 percent.

Salceda thinks that this should prompt the Marcos administration to prioritize food security.

“As long as hunger numbers do not see major improvements, and given global conditions, food security should be atop PBBM’s priorities, with agriculture and food trade being the most important concerns...I don’t see how we are going to have exceptionally good harvests of rice, sugar, and corn next year either, so the situation at least on the domestic front could still be challenging,” the Bicolano said.

Furthermore, he suggested that a Food Security Cluster be composed within the Cabinet to address food security and hunger.

“There are areas with food security that are beyond the mandate of the Department of Agriculture, which PBBM heads. Whether we like it or not, for example, some 20-25% of our food is imported. So Customs, the DOTr (Department of Transportation), and our ports play a key role in getting food where it is needed. Energy also plays a key role in food security, with fuel being the key input for the fishery sector. So, cheap energy means cheap food, or at least cheap fish,” Salceda said.

“Early warning systems and weather prediction methods are also extremely crucial in protecting our food from typhoons and other disasters. So, the DOST (Department of Science and Technology) and the DND (Department of National Defense)play important roles in our food security strategies...The DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) is also crucial, especially food that reaches consumers comes through retailers and wholesalers. And the PCC’s (Philippine Competition Commission) interventions would have been crucial in rice monopsonies and market abuse in sugar,” he added.

Lastly, Salceda proposed that a Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary be appointed to serve as DA Secretary and President Marcos Jr.’s “right hand" on agriculture.

“An administrative order outlining what the roles, functions, and responsibilities of the DA ‘senior undersecretary’ are will ensure organizational order. The President obviously has more concerns than agriculture, so from time to time, he will need an empowered deputy in the DA," he explained.

“The senior undersecretary should also sit in the Cabinet, not necessarily as a member, but to ensure that he is up to date with everything his principal might direct for the department, both as secretary and as president and head of the Food Security Cluster,” the Albay solon concluded.