Addressing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity in the Philippines

Dear Editor,

I read with interest the recent article by Young et al regarding child acute malnutrition in West Darfur, Sudan. Their analysis showed how the relative vulnerability of some people versus others is strongly influenced by their social, economic, and political relationships, as reflected in their shifting power relations and uneven control over livelihood resources. They concluded that by concentrating on the basic drivers of acute malnutrition, particularly the institutional structures, processes, and relationships, we can gain a deeper understanding of the issue and, thus, provide new insights for addressing this pressing problem. I firmly support this claim since malnutrition must be addressed by digging deeper into its various causes to provide an effective intervention. ¹ I aim to enflesh the issue by presenting the situation in the Philippines and stressing concrete interventions done by the government, not only for malnutrition but for food insecurity in general, which is a serious public health concern.

The latest report from the United Nations called State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World revealed that a whopping 50.9 million people who needed constant access to adequate food in the Philippines in 2022. The Philippines had the highest level of moderate or severe food insecurity in the region, accounting for almost half of the 110.9 million total in Southeast Asia. The same report also showed around 5.9 million Filipinos were undernourished in 2020-2022, which is the second highest in Southeast Asia. ² A notable cohort study revealed that food insecurity has been demonstrated to be positively associated with child outcomes in health and education, and these disruptions may have effects that last well beyond the current period as children at the ages of 10 and 11 are on the cusp of significant changes in health and educations acquisition with the onset of adolescence. ³ Many Filipino children also suffer from stunting (low height for age) due to undernutrition and insufficient intake of essential vitamins and minerals. When children are hungry, their academic performance also suffers. Undernutrition severely hinders children’s cognitive development and is detrimental to the country’s human and economic development. ⁴

As an intervention, the government launched some programs to address the issue. The government vowed to strengthen its measures to ensure food security by providing comprehensive assistance to rice and vegetable farmers to help them increase their production. It also accelerated the Food Stamp Program rollout, which provided P3000 worth of food credits to target beneficiaries each month for 6 months and another P15 000 to small-scale rice retailers. It also assists in transporting rice sacks from farmer cooperatives and traders to retailers and wholesalers. ⁵ These are helpful initiatives, but the effects may be temporary only.

What is needed is to find a solution to food insecurity and malnutrition that has a long-term effect. This is possible if there is a collaborative effort between the government and the private sectors in strengthening the so-called 3As—availability, accessibility, and affordability of food. The availability of food stresses its physical presence, and that there is sufficient supply for everyone. The presence of food also means that healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, low-fat fish, and so on, are more available for consumption. The avoidance and regulation of junk food production must be a priority of both institutions. Accessibility highlights an easier way of purchasing food, even in remote areas. Access to markets, grocery stores, and other vending places that carry healthy food options must be located equitably across urban and rural areas of the country. Food may be available in a particular place but because there is no farm-to-market roads (FMRs), the food fails to reach the proper market. With this, there should be more construction of FMRs to ensure the availability of foods for all. Lastly, affordability implies that everyone has the financial means to buy the nutritious food they need. No matter how plentiful and varied these healthy foods are, it is useless if the locals cannot afford them. This is why both sectors must allocate enough budget and support the producers and vendors to sell their goods for a cheaper or reasonable price. The current food stamp-style programs, subsidized staple foods, and other government-owned vehicular vendors selling vegetables and fruits must be continued and become operational not only in the cities but also in the provinces and other remote areas in the Philippines. In addition to food production, the planting and utilization of raw ingredients must be optimized so that the imported ones which are higher in prices will be avoided. The high price is usually added to the food product, making it more expensive. If locally produced raw ingredients are available, they can even be made as substitute for the imported ones.

It is not enough for “hungry” citizens to wait and receive aid or donations from their government or other nations every time there is a health crisis because eating is a continuous human activity for survival. If food is available, accessible, and affordable, it will be easier to fill a hungry stomach since every consumer will have a lesser demand for it.

Supplemental Material

Supplemental Material, sj-pdf-1-fnb-10.1177_03795721241244675 - Addressing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity in the Philippines

Supplemental Material, sj-pdf-1-fnb-10.1177_03795721241244675 for Addressing Malnutrition and Food Insecurity in the Philippines by Dalmacito A. Cordero Jr in Food and Nutrition Bulletin