Manila, Philipines – The Amihan National Federation of Peasant Women and Anakpawis Party-list exclaimed that the recent Social Weather Station (SWS) survey for April 28 to May 2021 resulted to 16.8% or an estimated of 4.2 million families suffered involuntary hunger was man-made or particularly all due to President Rodrigo Duterte’s programs and policies detrimental to the welfare of poor sectors. They added that since the militarist lockdown last year, many Filipinos particularly poor peasant families have struggled for a three-meal day, amid losses of sources of livelihood, compounded by the skyrocketing prices of basic commodities, and inadequate or no aid at all from the government.
“Walang ibang dapat sisihin sa palalang kagutuman na nararanasan ng mga pamilyang Pilipino at mga magsasaka kundi si Duterte. Walang kumprehensibong plano para resolbahin ito. Marami ang nawalan ng trabaho, ilang beses nang nagtaas ang mga bilihin, at malaking badyet ang nakalaan para sa kanyang mga sundalo at kapulisan. Iba pa ang usapin sa patuloy na liberalisasyon sa ating agrikultura at palaasa sa importasyon ng mga pagkain, sa halip na paunlarin ang lokal na produskyon para may makain ang mamamayan,” Cathy Estavillo, Amihan Secretary-General said.
Amihan and Anakpawis said that the survey may not have reached the far-flung peasant communities wherein they claim with worsened state of hunger. Aside from hunger, land grabbing, militarization, and various human rights abuses also hindered the peasant families to provide food on their tables as they’re unable to continue their farming activities.
“The Duterte regime has long abandoned the poor peasant families and condemned them to die with hunger. We must hold him accountable and suffer the consequences for his criminal neglect of the Filipino families and epic failure to address the socio-economic crisis in the country,” exclaimed by Ariel Casilao, Anakpawis Party-list National President and former representative.
“Allowing Duterte to remain in power, is to extend poor Filipino’s worsening state of hunger,” this is what Anakpawis Party-list and Amihan expressed on President Rodrigo Duterte’s pronouncement that he should be considered as a candidate for vice-president in the next national elections. The groups will join the people’s protest coinciding Duterte’s last State of the Nation Address on July 26 and urged the people to participate.
“To end the worsening hunger and hardship of poor Filipinos, could only be by #DuterteWakasanNa banner, or for the broad people to press him to resign from his post. Hunger is always a political and economic agenda in our society, and as Duterte is scourge to the marginalized and poorest sectors in the country, he should be immediately held to be accountable, upon relinquishing the seat of power,” the groups ended. ###
