IN order to end the high incidence of hunger in the country, an international human rights group has asked the government to implement a comprehensive national food policy.

FoodFirst Information and Action Network (FIAN) Philippines said that the high incidence of hunger in the country is “unacceptable and alarming.”

“We urge the President to declare as urgent the crafting of a national food policy that will rectify incoherent, non-complementary and conflicting legal mechanisms,” FIAN Philippines President Aurea Teves said.

In a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from August 24 to 27, 21 percent or 4.3 million families experienced involuntary hunger at least once the last three months.

The SWS survey also showed moderate hunger at 18 percent and severe hunger at 3 percent.

For his part, FIAN Philippines Vice President Ricardo Reyes said that the result of the SWS survey is considered as “too much.”

“In a country with a total population of almost 100 million, 1 percent is too many, 21 percent is too much,” he added.

He said that even during the Japanese occupation, hunger did not become a problem because the country is blessed with fertile land and plenty of water and sunshine.

The comprehesive food policy, according to Reyes should involve all stakeholders, including those most vulnerable to hunger and should be along the recommendations by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

FIAN Philippines is a human rights organization that promotes the right to adequate food and the country’s lead advocate for the right to adequate food.