Lawmaker pushes food bill to end hunger in 10 years

With millions of Filipinos still facing food insecurity, Abra Rep. Joseph Sto. Niño Bernos urged Congress last week to pass a measure that would guarantee every Filipino’s right to adequate food and aim for zero hunger within the next decade.

House Bill No. 3125, or the Right to Adequate Food Bill, seeks to establish a national legal framework to ensure food security, proper nutrition, and sustainable agricultural development. Filed on August 5, the measure envisions a ten-year roadmap where half of all prime agricultural land in each region will be devoted to food production.

The bill also requires steady improvement in several indicators, including access to productive land and resources, government investment in agricultural research and development, and participation of rural women and marginalized groups in food and nutrition programs. It likewise mandates expanded school feeding and public nutrition supplement programs for vulnerable communities.

Under the proposed law, a Commission on the Right to Adequate Food will be created to serve as the lead policy-making and coordinating body for national food initiatives. 

The commission will craft a comprehensive national food policy aligned with the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger’s agenda, while also ensuring transparency, accountability, and cooperation among government agencies, civil society, and the private sector.

“The Right to Adequate Food bill is a necessary measure to help address our deep-rooted issues on food and hunger. Close to 38 million Filipinos are facing food insecurity, and that number will only increase if our priorities are misplaced,” Bernos said.

Citing data from the Food and Agriculture Organization, he noted that 37.8 million Filipinos—or 32.9 percent of the population—experienced moderate to severe food insecurity between 2022 and 2024.

Bernos expressed optimism that under the leadership of Speaker Faustino “Bojie” Dy III, who has prioritized agricultural development, the House would push for stronger policies to combat hunger.

“With a Speaker who is intent on improving agriculture, I believe now is the time for us to rally to ensure that fewer and fewer of our fellow Filipinos go hungry,” he said.