The Commission on Human Rights on Thursday praised the commitment of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases to give priority to food security and food production while addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With or without the pandemic, the Commission is in full support of strategies that are geared towards eradicating hunger and achieving food security in the country,” group spokesman Jacqueline Ann de Guia said.
“We have previously expressed concern over the impacts of COVID-19 on the nutrition status of Filipinos, and continuously underscored the State’s responsibility to ensure respect, protection and promotion of the human right to food and all related human rights in decisions taken to contain the pandemic.”
De Guia reacted to the pronouncement of IATF-EID Chairman Karlo Nograles on the government’s plan to roll out its national food policy this month, alongside the government’s COVID-19 response.
“In adopting such policy, we urge our line agencies to guarantee that all facets of the implementation are coherent with the principles of economic, social and cultural rights, and ensure that these actions do not have discriminatory effect, especially on the most marginalized and disadvantaged sectors of society,” De Guia said.