MANILA – The House of Representatives has established a multi-committee to address the country’s food security challenges.
In an aide memoire released to the media on Thursday, Albay Rep. Joey Salceda said the newly established quint-committee would focus on food security, affordability, and sufficiency.
Under the adopted House Resolution 2036 authored by Speaker Martin Romualdez and Senior Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr., the quint-committee is composed of the House Committees on Ways and Means, Trade and Industry, Agriculture, Social Services, and the Special Committee on Food Security.
“The strategic aim of the Quint-Comm hearings is to reposition the House of Representatives, under the Speaker’s leadership, as the principal deliberative body for bread-and-butter issues. To ensure that the Quint-Comm is focused on strategic policy objectives, the hearings will be primarily informative – not investigative,” Salceda said.
He said the quint-committee’s policy objectives include charting a path toward achieving a target price of PhP20 per kg. of rice; increasing the annual Gross Value-Added (GVA) growth in agriculture to at least 2 percent; reducing agricultural production losses from 30 percent to 15 percent; and bringing livestock and poultry prices in the Philippines to regionally competitive levels.
“We have specific and quantifiable targets,” Salceda said. “Our objective is to create policy solutions that will make food more affordable and available to every Filipino.”
The House committees will work closely with stakeholders, including representatives of the agricultural sector, economists, civil society organizations, and think tanks to ensure that the hearings are well-informed and effective, he said.
The goal of the committee is to come up with possible remedial legislation to address smuggling and price manipulation of basic goods and essential commodities, achieve zero hunger, and promote food and nutrition security.
Salceda said the four initial priorities of the multi-panel are rice, meat, fish, and fruits and vegetables.
He said the quint-committee may later expand its scope to cover other issues such as housing, medicines, fuel, electricity, and water supply, with more committees to be involved. (PNA)