PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has issued a circular calling for a whole-of-government approach to ensure food security and proper nutrition en route to a country with zero hunger as part of his administration's Philippine Development Plan 2023-2028.

Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO Vendors arrange products in their stalls at the Paco Market in Manila on Sunday, April 21, 2024. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has called for a government-wide approach to improve efforts in eradicating hunger and ensuring food security. PHOTO BY MIKE ALQUINTO

Signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on behalf of the President on April 19, Memorandum Circular 47 enjoined all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to support the implementation of the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) program.

The EPAHP is one of the banner programs of the Task Force on Zero Hunger, which aims to institutionalize efforts to mitigate hunger and promote food and nutrition security by linking community-based organizations (CBOs) to potential markets and providing credit assistance to support food production, processing and distribution.

Established through Executive Order 10 s. 2020 and amended by EO 27 s. 2023, Task Force Hunger aims to ensure the continued and effective implementation of the EPAHP Program.

The task force provides farm production technologies and extension of services to government-assisted family farms and rural-based organizations, as well as enhances the sustainability of the EPAHP program through the implementation of policies that will engage the private sector and institutionalize mechanisms in LGUs.

It is also directed to adopt Community Participation Procurement to encourage CBOs to participate in the EPAHP Program and construct, repair, and improve irrigation facilities and appurtenant structures in irrigable areas in the countryside.