Peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) slammed the current administration's proposed national food stamp program, citing it as a sign of "sheer incompetence in addressing the food crisis." \(Photo courtesy of Juan Carlo de Vela \| MB\)
"Please do not treat Filipinos as beggars seeking for alms. Bigyan naman natin ng dignidad ang ating mamamayan. Nagugutom na nga ang karamihan, ituturing pang parang pulubing namamalimos ng pagkain. Malala ang problema ng kagutuman at hindi ito masusulusyonan lamang food stamps. Kaya nitong masagot ang isa o dalawang beses na pagkain ng isang pamilya pero paano ang kinabukasan at pangmatagalan? (Let us give our people dignity. Many are already hungry, yet they are treated as if they are beggars asking for food. The problem of hunger is severe, and it cannot be solved by food stamps alone. It can provide one or two meals for a family, but what about the future and long-term solutions?)," asked KMP Chairperson Danilo Ramos on Tuesday, May 22. He added that reviving the distribution of food stamps just amplifies the government's "sheer incompetence in addressing the food crisis." On Monday, May 22, President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. disclosed his plan to forge a partnership with the Asian Development Bank for the establishment of a national food stamp program.

READ:

[National food stamp program is now in the pipeline—Marcos](https://mb.com.ph/2023/5/22/national-food-stamp-program-is-now-in-the-pipeline-marcos) Earlier this year, Department of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian brought up the idea of giving food stamps to Filipinos in need. Ramos said that this initiative is not the best solution that the government can offer at this point. Instead, it should first focus on providing adequate assistance, increasing wages, and lowering the price of food, he said. "We know that his intention is well-meaning but coming from a position of wealth and affluence, Secretary Gatchalian may not know how it is to be hungry or how Filipinos hustle every day to have food on their tables. He may think his proposal is grand but he entirely missed the point of the structural causes of the ongoing food crisis," he added. "We are open to discussing with Secretary Gatchalian the proposals on how to mitigate hunger and achieve food security and food self-sufficiency. We must help attain secure, safe, and affordable food for and from the Filipino people. All sectors creating, distributing, and consuming food should have a part in addressing the food crisis," Ramos concluded.

Millions of Hungry Filipinos

According to the Social Weather Stations (SWS), 11.8 percent, or about three million Filipino families, experienced "involuntary hunger" between October and December 2022. This is 0.5 points higher than the 11.3 percent recorded from July to September 2022. Involuntary hunger is experiencing hunger at least once in the said quarter but not having anything to eat, SWS said.

READ:

[3M Filipino families experienced hunger in Q4 2022 — SWS](https://mb.com.ph/2023/01/19/3m-filipino-families-experienced-hunger-in-q4-2022-sws/)