Widespread hunger justifies more ayuda
Widespread hunger justifies more ayuda
A mural of women weaving the Philippine flag on the Day of Valor dwarfs residents of Barangay Socorro in Quezon City queueing for emergency fund assistance or ECQ Ayuda from the government on Friday, April 9, 2021. Photo by Jire Carreon/Rappler
On World Food Day:
Research group IBON said that hunger and food insecurity are worsening amid the ongoing pandemic crisis. The group said that more ayuda has to be immediately given to millions of poor and vulnerable families to ensure that everyone has economic access to food. Domestic agricultural production also has to be supported to strengthen food security.
IBON said that the widespread loss of livelihoods from the protracted lockdowns is pushing more Filipinos into poverty, thus limiting their access to food. The growing number of unemployed and in informal or irregular work because of the government’s poor response is making hunger worsen, the group said.
Officially reported unemployment grew by 1.5 million to a high 3.9 million in August 2021 from pre-pandemic January 2020. IBON estimates that over 19 million or more than two in five jobs are now informal work including self-employment, small family farms or business, domestic help, or unpaid family workers. This does not yet include millions more in informal wage work hired by private establishments. The number of part-time workers also spiked by a huge 2.7 million to 16.1 million.
Comments (0)