Editorial – Hunger and poverty

The latest findings of the Social Weather Stations showing that hunger in the Philippines has worsened during the second quarter of the year should stir all right-thinking Filipinos, especially those who come from Mindanao, where the situation is most serious.
The SWS survey says that 3.7 million families have experienced involuntary hunger at least once in the past three months (April, May and June), a worsening of the situation in the first three month of January, February and March.
The SWS study showed that hunger soared 18 points in Mindanao, from 11.7 percent (estimated 490,000 families) in February to 30 percent (estimated 1.3 million families) in June.
The sorry situation in the country is shown by its depressing nutrition status, indicating that the national prevalence rate of malnutrition among preschool children is 26.9 percent.
Just what is the ideal nutritional status of a country like the Philippines? One doesn’t have to be a grizzled nutritionist and social scientist to know that we shall have achieved nutritional nirvana, when people no longer experience hunger. That is, when families enjoy food security; when government invests in sustainable food program; when malnutrition continues to decline; and when people can afford to buy food for themselves.
What factors prevent the achievement of this ideal situation? It is when there is limited or no support for the nutrition program by government or leaders; when prices of food are too high; when people do not eat the right food; when there is a run-away population explosion and when unemployment rate is high.
What are then the key factors to an ideal nutritional status? It’s clear from the above discussion that we need honest-to-goodness government intervention in our country’s twin problems of hunger and poverty. We also need to intensify efforts to educate the public on proper nutrition. It is important that together government and private sector must address this gargantuan problem, develop innovative approaches in seeking solutions to malnutrition; manage population; ensure adequate health services; and enhance food security of the Filipino family.
We should never for a moment forget that hunger and poverty in Mindanao, like many troubled countries in Africa, is largely caused by the unpeace in this part of the country that has been crying for a solution for ages.
There are bright spots, though, especially in the Davao Region when one looks at the statistics. According to Ms Maria Teresa L. Ungson, the regional coordinator of the National Nutrition Council, results of the 2009 Operation Timbang indicate that all cities and provinces of Davao Region have improved the nutritional status of their preschool children.
The most dramatic positive change, Ms Ungson reported, was recorded in Davao Oriental, thanks to the hands-on management by Gov. Corazon M. Malanyaon. Good things come out of good leadership, anytime, anywhere.