Bill to Create Office of National Food Security

Rep. Winston Castelo (2nd District, Quezon City) has filed a bill creating the Office of National Food Security in a bid to expand the food sufficiency program of the government in the depressed areas of the country.

In filing House Bill 5210, Castelo said there is a need for comprehensive government policies to address hunger and malnutrition in rural areas.

Citing recent studies, Castelo said there are about 9.3 million poor Filipino families and 7.36 million children below the age of five who are considered malnourished.

Earlier, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) released its latest survey in the third quarter of 2014 showing that there are 12.1 million poor Filipinos families.

Castelo said the SWS poll also found out that 55 percent of the their respondents considered themselves poor which is three points higher than the 52 percent average in the last quarter of 2013.

“In order to achieve lasting and sufficiency program, there should be government office that would exclusively zero in on food security and tasked to guarantee food security in the country,” Castelo said.

The bill has earmarked P20 billion for the creation of the Office of the National Food Security which will come from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Philippine Amusement and gaming Corporation (PAGCOR).

Source: Media Relations Service, Public Relations and Information Bureau