The Po family's Century Pacific Food Inc. (CNPF), one of the leading food and beverage manufacturing companies in the Philippines, aims to deliver 12 million protein servings to its partner communities as part of its commitment towards a zero hunger Philippines.

The firm said its commitment to providing affordable nutrition to its consumers is embodied through sustainable business practices integrated into the company’s goals and objectives.

Through its flagship feeding initiative “Kain Po,” CNPF has served over 55 million meals to more than 500,000 beneficiaries all over the country.

Together with Gawad Kalinga (GK), CNPF has spearheaded the National Zero Hunger Summit, a gathering of multiple stakeholders aiming to spur action and chart a path towards a zero hunger Philippines.

The event was attended by the largest assembly of Zero Hunger Champions to date: comprising of students, teachers, civil society organization representatives, and employees from both private and government sectors.

The inception of the Zero Hunger Alliance took shape in 2020 through the joint efforts of CNPF’s RSPO Foundation, GK, and the Ateneo Center for Educational Development (ACED).

Among the new members of this growing program include: Negrense Volunteers for Change (NVC Foundation), Scholars of Sustenance (SOS), Unilever, Unilab Foundation, QC Task Force on Food Security, and the East West Seed Foundation.

The collaboration between these organizations recognizes the imperative for a more robust and united response from the private sector to address the pressing hunger situation in the nation, with the goal of amplifying the endeavors of individual groups dedicated to enhancing food security and nutrition.

According to the World Food Programme (WFP), 33.4 percent of Filipino households experience moderate to severe food insecurity.

Furthermore, the country ranks fifth in the East Asia and Pacific Region for the highest prevalence of stunting among children under five years old.

Meanwhile, the latest Social Weather Survey (SWS) statistics on involuntary hunger indicated a rate of almost 10 percent, affecting 2.7 million Filipino families in first quarter of 2023.

“Given the severity of the hunger situation in the Philippines, there is an impetus for all of us to find sustainable solutions,” said RSPo Foundation Program Director Kamille Corpuz.

She added that, “we hope to leverage the reach of the National Zero Hunger Alliance Summit in disseminating exemplary practices to a broader audience, particularly prioritizing communities in most need of transformative interventions.”

“By cultivating a spirit of collaboration among a diverse range of stakeholders, the Zero Hunger Alliance envisions the alignment of strategies, identification of intersecting capabilities, and effective and efficient implementation of anti-hunger interventions.” noted Corpuz.