Improving the lives of Filipinos through accelerated hunger-mitigation program

Alarmed with the rising hunger incidence, President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo initiated in July 2006 the Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation program or AHMP, an all-out campaign to curb, if not eradicate, hunger.

The AHMP is a package of strategies and interventions to address hunger and poverty in a holistic manner, both from the supply side and from the demand side.

On the supply side, measures are along producing more food and efficient delivery of food to whom and where it is needed.

On the demand side, efforts aim at putting more money in people's pockets, promoting good nutrition, and managing population growth.

The AHMP is implemented in groups of provinces categorized by priority.

Priority one province (Food-Poorest Provinces) - Based on subsistence incidence (2003 Family and income expenditure survey) include the provinces of Zamboanga Del Norte, Mountain Province, Masbate, Lanao Del Norte, Maguindanao, Camarines Norte, Agusan Del Sur, Sarangani, Surigao del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay and the entire Metro Manila.

Priority two provinces (Poorest Provinces) include Surigao del Sur, Camarines Sur, Misamis Occidental, Samar, Biliran, Marinduque, Kalinga, Lanao del Sur, Sulu, Romblon, Antique, Davao Oriental, Palawan, Negro Oriental, Sultan Kudarat, Oriental Mindoro, Abra, Bukidnon, Occidental Mindoro, and Tawi-Tawi.

Priority three provinces (with existing hunger mitigation programs) include Leyte, Eastern Samar, Camiguin, Northen Samar, La Union, Southern Leyte, Ifugao, Zamboanga del Sur, Quezon, Davao del Norte, Albay, Davao del Sur, Sorsogon, Cotabato, Aklan, South Cotabato, Iloilo, Apayao, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Catanduanes, Basilan, Bohol and Agusan del Norte.

The AHMP is implemented by the 30-agency member anti-hunger task force led by health secretary and National Nutrition Council chair Francisco T. Duque III. (PIA 12)

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