Human Rights Council: 43rd Regular Session
Salle XX, Palais des Nations
03 March 2020
Agenda Item 3: Interactive Dialogue with the
Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
Speaking time: 1 min. 30 sec.
Thank you, Mister Vice-President.
We thank the Special Rapporteur for her comprehensive final report which outlines the challenges, good practices, and trends related to addressing the realization to the right to food.
The Philippines considers the eradication of hunger as a priority. Just last month, President Rodrigo Duterte created the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger through Executive Order no. 101, to ensure a whole-of-government approach to eradicating hunger and achieving food security. The Task Force will formulate a National Food Policy which will provide a roadmap for achieving zero hunger.
Under the 2019 Magna Carta of the Poor, government agencies are mandated to spearhead actions to promote food self-sufficiency and strengthen the access by the poor to resources and means to ensure food security. As of 2018, 4,266 hectares of land were distributed to agrarian reform beneficiaries under the administration. The President’s Executive Order no. 75 of 2019 made available 300,000 hectares of government-owned lands for agrarian reform program.
The Philippines’ robust and responsive agroecology policies and projects resulted in the country garnering international distinction from the UNFAO’s 2018 Future Policy Awards and World Future Council in 2019.
The Philippines will remain steadfast in its commitments and assures the Special Rapporteur of the country’s continued full cooperation with her mandate.
Thank you, Mister Vice-President. END