PR
Though just over 96% of respondents surveyed in the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Rapid Nutrition Assessment Survey (RNAS) acknowledged having received food assistance from the government and private sector, the high incidence of food insecurity at the height of the Covid-19 lockdowns reinforce the urgency of safely reopening the economy so that livelihoods can be restored.
This was stressed on Tuesday by Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles at the launch of the RNAS on Food Security, Coping Mechanisms, and Nutrition-Related Services Availed during COVID-19 Pandemic, wherein 62.1% of surveyed households revealed that they experienced moderate or severe food insecurity during the pandemic.
According to Nograles, “RNAS data showed that food insecurity peaked between March and April 2020 during the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ), and gradually decreased as mobility restriction eased in most survey areas.”
The data also showed that 56.3% of households reported having problem accessing food during the community quarantine period. Of those surveyed, said Nograles, 22.1% said they had no money to buy food, 20.9% said they could not buy food as they had no access to public transportation, and 19.5% said they could not buy food as they had lost their jobs.
Conducted by the DOST between November 3 and December 3 this year, the survey covered 5,717 households. Among the areas included in the RNAS, broken down into High Risk, Moderate Risk, and Low Risk areas were (High Risk) Parañaque City, Lapu-Lapu City, and Pateros; (Moderate Risk) Pangasinan, Southern Leyte, and Zamboanga City; (Low Risk) Angeles City, Guimaras, and South Cotabato.
Nograles, head of the government’s Zero Hunger Task Force, said “the data establishes the relationship between income and food insecurity; specifically, how the loss of the former can contribute to the latter.”
“On one hand, the information gathered tells us that we were able to provide food assitance to almost 100% of the households surveyed, and that the assistance extended was really able to help,” said Nograles.
“But what is concerning is that 16.7% of household heads lost their jobs because of the lockdowns, and this was highest (18.1%) in high-risk areas,” said the former legislator.
“This contributed immensely to food insecurity, and it only impresses upon us the importance of slowly, safely returning to pre-pandemic economic activity.”
The government is now working overtime to safely reopen the economy, said Nograles, in order for the country’s citizens to return to work and to prop up consumer confidence to boost economic activity, this while taking steps necessary to ensure that Covid-19 containment protocols are strictly enforced as it balances the need for Filipino workers to resume their livelihoods while protecting their health.
