Press Release
November 6, 2008

ROXAS: FILIPINOS STILL "HUNGRY" FOR GOVT ACTION
GALLUP HUNGER SURVEY SHOWS NOT ENOUGH BEING DONE

Liberal President Senator Mar Roxas said Filipinos, up to now, are "hungry" for the government's decisive action to solve the prevalence of hunger in the country, which now stands at two for every five citizens.

He said the latest survey by Gallup International Voice of the People 2008 in which the Philippines placed fifth in hunger incidence did not come as a surprise, but should nonetheless be alarming enough to push the government to carry out reforms, beginning with realignments in the budget.

"Sabihin man nang sabihin ng gobyerno na 'ramdam ang kaunlaran,' ang katotohanan ay malala pa rin ang tag-gutom sa bansa. Magising na dapat ang gobyerno at kumilos (Even if the government repeatedly propagandizes that progress is being felt, the truth is more and more people are hungry in our country. The government should wake up and act now)," he said.

"Hindi na nakakagulat itong survey mula sa Gallup International, at kitang-kita naman natin araw-araw na malala ang sitwasyon para sa mga mahihirap, habang lalo pang yumayaman ang mga mayayaman. Hindi dapat tayo pumayag na manatili ang ganitong sitwasyon (The Gallup survey results are not surprising anymore because we see everyday how poverty is worsening while the rich get richer. We should not allow this situation to prevail)," he said.

The Gallup survey showed that the Philippines had the fifth largest incidence of hunger in the world. 40% of Filipino participants in the September 24-27 survey answered that they had little or no food "often or sometimes" in the last 12 months. The Philippines was only behind Cameroon, Pakistan, Nigeria and Peru.

"Babala ito sa gobyerno na kulang pa ang kanilang ginagawa para mabawasan ang paggugutom ng mga mamamayan. Marami pa rin ang hindi nabibigyang tulong ng pamahalaan. Biro mo, kalahating milyong mamamayan sa Metro Manila pa lang ay hindi makakain ng sapat (This is a warning to the government that not enough is being done to reduce hunger of the people. There's still so many not being helped by the government. Imagine, half a million people in Metro Manila alone don't even eat enough)," he said.

"Dapat pumayag na ang gobyerno sa pagrepaso ng pambansang budget para unahin ang paglutas sa gutom. Bago lahat, ay dapat makakain tayong lahat. Dagdagan natin ang paggastos para sa agrikultura, at para sa mga feeding programs sa mga paaralan (The goverment should stop refusing calls to revamp the budget to focus on solving hunger. Before everything else, our people should be able to eat. We should hike spending for agriculture and for our feedings programs in schools)," he added.

The senator's proposed budget realignments are as follows:
1. A one-time income tax refund worth P5,000 each for 4 million fixed-income workers (total P20 billion),
   as found in Roxas' Senate Bill No. 2689;
2. P20 billion as additional budget for the education sector;
3. P12 billion funding for the government's health peace corps program, which would provide 45,000
   barangays with health care services and benefits;
4. P10 billion to the DSWD's Conditional Cash Transfer program;
5. P10 billion in agriculture support;
6. P15-billion allocation for the Development Bank of the Philippines to provide assistance to boost capital
   and productivity of small enterprises.
7. P3 billion for OFW support; and
8. P10 billion on top of the budgets of various agencies implementing the Cheaper Medicines Act that was
   principally authored by Roxas.

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