Manila, June 2 – More than 3,000 hunger advocates from different sectors walked and raced as they took a stand to fight hunger in conflict-laden southern Philippines.
Some participants walked two kilometers while others ran five and 10 km in the United Nations World Food Programme’s (UNWFP) annual campaign against child hunger and malnutrition dubbed “Walk the World – Pilipinas,” which was held over the weekend at the SM Mall of Asia grounds in Pasay City.
Initiated by WFP along with corporate giants TNT, Unilever and DSM, the event aims to raise awareness and funds to feed hungry and malnourished children in Mindanao. Proceeds will support more than 80,000 school children in 300 schools in the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Norte and Lanao del Sur.
The campaign, which is a global effort, was also held in 79 countries.
Attending the affair were WFP Country Representative Stephen Anderson, UN Development Programme Resident Coordinator Jacqueline Badcock, UN Food and Agriculture Organization Representative Kazuyuki Tsurumi, actress and WFP Philippines Ambassador against Hunger KC Concepcion, actor Richard Gomez, TNT Country General Manager Celtin Yalcin, Unilever Philippines Managing Director for Foods Carl Cruz, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) Assistant Secretary Jehanne Mutin, and Department of Social Welfare and Development Asst. Sec. Camilo Gudmalin, among others.
OPAPP sponsored the event together with various organizations.
Walking the talk
Police Senior Inspector Lyra Valera, who joined the race in her own capacity as a peace advocate, said that she hopes to contribute to ending hunger among Filipino children even in her own little way.
"Dapat maging layunin ng ating henerasyon na wala nang batang Pilipino sa susunod na henerasyon ang kailangan pang magutom (It should be the goal of our generation that no Filipino child in the next generation will go hungry),” she stated.
Valera, who is also a lawyer, believes that hunger drives conflict. “In the years to come, widespread hunger due to prevalent poverty is predicted to pose a grave threat to our security as a state. It will become a serious source of conflict if not immediately addressed.
Kailangan din ng gobyerno ng tulong para matugunan ang problemang ito (The government also needs help to address this).”
Melinda Severo from Pizza Hut Philippines, one of the largest pizza chains in the country and among the sponsors of this year’s “Walk the World – Pilipinas,” lauded the organizers for their effort to “somehow lessen the problem of hunger” particularly in conflict communities.
Pizza Hut, she said, has always been supportive of WFP’s feeding programs. “Actually, some of the managers and staff in the company visited a conflict-affected area in Mindanao to see for themselves the plight of children and how WFP is alleviating their situation.”
“I hope that the communities will be able to rise above poverty and be given opportunities to help themselves so as not to become dependent of external aid,” added Severo.
Battle against apathy
Anderson stressed that the Filipinos’ lack of concern in the hunger dilemma that hounds not only Mindanao, but the rest of the country, has been a constant challenge.
“The biggest battle is against apathy. This is what really hurts us,” he said. “Without proactive, unified efforts from all of us, it would not get better.”
Anderson noted that everybody always looks at the government to solve the problem. “But I think it comes from all of us to complement these efforts, to further the cause, to make a tangible, visible impact.”
He added that anybody can make a difference with a few pesos. “With just P 10, you can provide a nutritious meal to every child in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.”
Congratulating the participants, Anderson called all of them winners in the fight against hunger.
“Because all of us are here, representing the Philippines, from all walks of life. We have a common vision – to have a healthy, strong and vibrant Philippines,” he stated. #
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