Exclusive - Senator Grace Poe To Duterte: After War On Drugs, Focus On Hunger

Last Tuesday, at the Ateneo De Manila in Quezon City in the Anti-Hunger Summit, Senator Grace Poe said that after the administration's war against drugs, it should  next focus on ending hunger.

“Kung gaano kasigasig ang pamahalaan laban sa droga, hinihiling ko na kasunod nito, gutom naman ang ating wakasan,” Poe said during her speech.

She also added, “Kung all-out ang gobyerno sa droga, all-out war sa gutom naman ang isunod natin.”

President Rodrigo Duterte earlier this month asked for a six-month extension in his vow to stop crimes and illegal drugs in just three to six months. This decision was made by the President after he realized that the war on drugs was too rampant in the country.

Poe said, “Dapat walang pulitika pagdating sa pagkain para sa lahat.”

She desires that the government shall turn its focus on programs that may end malnutrition and hunger “as a way to invest in the nations’s human capital, hand-in-hand with the ongoing battle to ensure peace and order.”

Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol was mandated by President Rodrigo Duterte even before he assumed office to make sure that there is food security and affordability.

It can be recalled that Poe filed two bills, the Senate Bill (SB) No. 160 or the Libreng Pananghalian sa Pampublikong Paaralan that provides free school feeding program for all public schools and SB No. 161 of the First 1,000 Days Act, that seeks to establish a natal care program for mothers and for toddlers, a health care and feeding program.

She also said, “Pangunahing adbokasiya na[tin ang tugunan ang problema sa gutom sa ating bansa. Naniniwala akong anumang pagsisikap natin na maiangat ang ating bansa ay walang silbi kung nagugutom ang ating mamamayan.”

Poe also cited a survey done by the Social Weather Stations which revealed that 3.1 million Filipinos are suffering from hunger in the first quarter of this year. It was a half a million increase from last 2015. 

Source: TNP, Filipinews