The Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (PAHP) program was enacted last July 2016 during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The aim of the program is to institutionalize and operationalize the league effort and partnership among the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of Agriculture (DA), and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as one of the dynamisms of the Government in addressing the pressing issue of hunger mitigation, food and nutrition insecurity, and poverty reduction.

The PAHP program was enhanced by the inclusion of additional support from partner agencies upon signing of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program MOU last 9 December 2019.

Additional EPAHP partners are the Office of the President – Office of the Cabinet Secretary (OP-OCS), DSWD, DAR, DA, Department of Education (DepEd), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Health (DOH), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), National Irrigation Association (NIA), Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), and Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) are venturing on collaborative efforts to increase farm productivity, income, ensure food and nutrition security, mitigate hunger and malnutrition both in rural and urban communities.

Attached agencies included are the DOH-National Nutrition Council (NNC), DA-Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), DA-Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), DA-Agricultural Technical Institute (ATI), DA-National Dairy Authority (NDA), DILG-Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Cooperative Development Authority (CDA), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), National Food Authority (NFA), and DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).

EPAHP program also received assistance and support from development partners namely the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, and World Food Programme (WFP).

Last June 2021, the EPAHP Regional Program Management Office (RPMO) of Northern Mindanao was fully operational. The partnership between EPAHP RPMO X and NNC X was sealed last December during the ceremonial signing held at Chali Beach Resort in Cagayan de Oro City. NNC X Regional Nutrition Program Coordinator (RNPC) Gladys Mae S. Fernandez represented and signed the MOU.

NNC X through its Tutok Kainan Dietary Supplementation Program (TK DSP) and currently in conjunction with DAR-Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBO) have been supported by EPAHP RPMO X by up-to-date coordination, assistance, and meetings. The EPAHP RPMO X intends to link more farmers, associations, and organization who want to participate in the TK DSP implementation to market their produce and established long-term revenue for farmers.

The EPAHP program and its partner agencies’ engaging efforts and initiatives would like to create and amplify greater synergy and convergence to capture rural and urban communities to enhance social capital and optimize the economic resources available through supplementary feeding and other government feeding programs that will also incorporate Community-Based Organizations.

The NNC X and EPAHP RPMO X are working closely in the fight against issues on food and nutrition insecurity as well as hunger, poverty, and malnutrition. (PNFP Gwyn Y. Balaba)

References:

• Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). Creation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty – National Program Management Office and Regional Program Management Offices of the DSWD (2021). Retrieved on 11 May 2022. https://www.dswd.gov.ph/issuances/AOs/AO_2021-015.pdf