A pet bill of House Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III that sought to institutionalize the right to adequate food was among the six measures that were consolidated Monday, Aug. 24 by a House subcommittee.
This, as the lawmakers moved to strengthen the country’s framework for fighting hunger and ensuring food security in the current 20th Congress.
The Subcommittee of the House Committee on Human Rights chaired by San Jose del Monte lone district Rep. Arturo Robes completed the consolidation of six House Bills (HBs) seeking to institutionalize the right to adequate food framework, anchored on the principle that access to adequate food is a fundamental human right.
Consolidated were HB No. 3545, authored by Speaker Dy; HB No. 3050, authored by Manila 6th district Rep. Bienvenido Abante Jr.; HB Nos 3125 and 3173, by Abra lone district Rep. JB Bernos and FPJ Panday Bayanihan Party-List Rep. Brian Poe; HB No. 8003, by Bulacan 5th district Rep. Agatha “Agay” Cruz; and HB No. 239, by Bagong Henerasyon (BH) Party-list Rep. Robert Nazal.
Speaker Dy, who represents Isabela's 6th district, cited the urgency of the measure.
He noted statistics that indicated an estimated 7.5 million Filipinos experienced involuntary hunger in 2025 due to lack of food.
In the explanatory note of HB No. 3545, the Speaker acknowledged the challenges involved in addressing hunger.
“The goal of eliminating involuntary hunger in ten years will not be an easy feat (requiring) the commitment of a great deal of resources,” said Dy.
He nonetheless encouraged his peers to support the move, and asked that the bill’s passage be “the legacy of the 20th Congress, one that institutionalized the Right to Adequate Food, ensuring the next generations of Filipinos will be free from hunger".
Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal No. 2, which aims for “zero hunger” under the 2030 Agenda, the bills seek to reinforce the country’s commitment to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
Following the consolidation, the subcommittee will continue deliberations on the measure, and get inputs from national government agencies and other stakeholders.