STATEMENT OF SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS ON RECORD-HIGH
7.6 MILLION PINOY HOUSEHOLDS EXPERIENCING HUNGER

Hindi lang COVID-19 ang nagpapahirap sa araw-araw na buhay ng pamilyang Pilipino ngayon. The government must act swiftly against this growing epidemic of hunger and poverty in our nation.

This record-high number of families experiencing hunger is a symptom of the deepening economic crisis that we must take seriously. Kasabay nito ang patuloy na pagsara at pagkalugi ng maraming negosyo at employer. Dumarami rin ang bilang ng Pilipino na kung hindi walang trabaho ay underemployed, underpaid, at kulang ang oras ng trabaho kaya kakarampot ang kita.

The fight against hunger and economic depression deserves as much attention from government as the COVID-19 crisis. Unang-una, dapat ibalik ang tinapyas na budget ng Department of Social Welfare and Development para sa 2021 feeding program. Malaking tulong ito para maiwasan ang isang bagong krisis pangkalusugan na dala ng kahirapan, ang malnutrisyon.

Bayanihan 2 will not be enough and economic recovery based merely on the restoration of pre-covid economic activities is still far away. More jobs are needed and we need to enable the creation of new ones such as in the agricultural sector and the home-based BPO industry, where infection will not be sparked by more intensive economic activity. Unfortunately, the budget of the Department of Agriculture has been slashed, and internet connectivity limits the extent to which the BPO industry can reconfigure towards safer working arrangements. Inuulit ko ang panawagan ko para sa pagtalaga ng 'Balik-Trabaho Czar' na pangungunahan ang pagbabalik ng trabaho ng milyong-milyong Pilipino ngayong panahon ng krisis.

Government should devote all necessary attention and resources to stopping this problem before it gets worse. Kung hindi tayo kikilos, baka maraming Pilipino na ang magkasakit o mamatay sa gutom bago pa man dumating ang bakuna sa COVID-19.

Habang kinakalampag natin ang pamahalaan, patuloy din tayong magtulungan. Tulungan natin ang ating mga kapitbahay, kamag-anak, kaklase at kabarangay. Kung may maliit na negosyo sila, tangkilikin natin. Kung ano ang kaya nating mai-aabot o mai-tulong, ibigay natin sa nangangailangan. Patunayan natin na sa panahon ng krisis, maasahan ng bawat Pilipino ang isa't-isa.