United for zero hunger: Private sector launches Kain Tayo Pilipinas to tackle malnutrition and food insecurity

Makati City, Philippines – Leaders from business and the non-government communities recently launched Kain Tayo Pilipinas (KTP), an initiative that unites private sector stakeholders to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition in the country.

Kain Tayo Pilipinas is a private sector initiative that aims to develop tangible solutions addressing the nation's issues of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity. It was launched last July 17, 2024 at Dusit Thani Manila, Makati City. [L-R: Manolito Tayag, Kain Tayo Pilipinas board member and Philippine Business for Social Progress Vice Chairman; Edgar Chua, Chairman, Makati Business Club; Rex Gatchalian, Secretary, Department of Social Welfare and Development; Manny Pangilinan, Kain Tayo Pilipinas and Philippine Business for Social Progress Chairman; Dr. Azucena Dayanghirang, Executive Director, National Nutrition Council; Kristine Go, Senior Vice President - Wireless Consumer Individual, Smart Communications Inc.; Lorelie Quiambao Osial, President and CEO, Shell Philippines; Dr. Clarissa David, Senior Country Officer, World Bank Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand; and Elvin Ivan Uy, Executive Director, Philippine Business for Social Progress]

KTP's official launch takes place during National Nutrition Month this July. The coalition aims to develop tangible solutions addressing the nation's issues of hunger, malnutrition, and food insecurity, ultimately ensuring a healthier future for all Filipinos. This initiative envisions a concerted effort from its members towards achieving Zero Hunger (Sustainable Development Goal 2).

According to Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), which serves as the KTP secretariat, one out of 10 Filipino households is considered food insecure and 26.7% of under-age-5 Filipinos are stunted. KTP and PBSP Chair Manuel V Pangilinan urged the public to join the movement in helping address malnutrition and food security. "Walang magugutom pag lahat tutulong," (If we all help, no one will go hungry) said Pangilinan.

 

During the launch, Kain Tayo Pilipinas and Philippine Business for Social Progress Chairman Manny Pangilinan emphasized the need for collaboration in the private sector to address food insecurity in the Philippines.

At the same event, World Bank Senior Country Officer for Brunei, Philippines, Malaysia, and Thailand, Dr. Clarissa David, said that the Philippine Human Capital Index is at .52, meaning that a Filipino child born today will only be 52% as productive in their adulthood with a complete education and full health. The Philippines trails behind its neighboring countries in terms of health and nutrition indicators, as well as skills and education outcomes, resulting in a cost of USD 4.4 billion in annual economic growth losses.

The chair of the government’s Task Force Zero Hunger and Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian emphasized the need for a bottom-up approach to end hunger and malnutrition, wherein food insecurity and malnourishment is addressed starting with the needs and capabilities of communities and individuals, rather than solely relying on top-down publicly funded initiatives. "Interventions to end hunger and malnutrition will be more effective with the help of the private sector," he added.

Mobilizing the private sector to address hunger and malnutrition

KTP is committed to developing innovative solutions to advance sustainable development and usher in a brighter future for all Filipinos. It features three workstreams namely Nutrition, Food Security, and Enablers.

 

Kain Tayo Pilipinas board member and Philippine Business for Social Progress Vice Chairman Manolito Tayag highlighted the importance of uniting the private sector to scale interventions ensuring sustainable food systems.

The Nutrition Workstream will adopt a life-stage approach, targeting direct beneficiaries, especially children ages 0 to 2, as this is the most crucial formative lifestage. The Food Security Workstream will empower families to combat malnutrition by providing them with better access to healthier and more affordable food options. The Enablers Workstream will focus on interventions that complement the nutrition and food security workstreams, particularly on sustainability through water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition education, public policy and governance, and more.

Manolito Tayag, KTP board member and PBSP Vice Chair, said the goal is to unite the private sector and business community to address urgent hunger and malnutrition issues the country is facing. "KTP will serve as an informer, impact watcher, policy advocate, resource mobilizer, and curator, ensuring the sustainability of initiatives implemented alongside the public sector," he said.

The Kain Tayo Pilipinas coalition is an initiative that unites private sector organizations by merging two private sector-led coalitions – Pilipinas Kontra Gutom and The Hunger Project – to collectively tackle malnutrition and food insecurity in the Philippines.

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About Philippine Business for Social Progress

Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is the largest business-led NGO and operates at the nexus of corporate citizenship, sustainable development, and poverty reduction. Established in 1970, PBSP remains a consultant and partner of choice of companies and donors. PBSP scales up impact by adopting the Collective Impact strategy to solve large, complex, systemic problems. PBSP organizes Platforms for Collective Engagements (PLACEs) to ensure alignment and sustainability of initiatives by multiple stakeholders.

PBSP serves as the social development arm of its 264 members, dedicated to empowering and alleviating the poor and assisting communities in becoming self-reliant. PBSP works toward collective impact through interventions and programs that deliver long-term solutions in the areas of health, education, environment, livelihood, and social inclusion.

Responding to the changing landscape of CSR, PBSP’s brand of corporate citizenship taps into the core business competencies of companies and promotes inclusive business as a strategy. PBSP also continues to strategically engage companies through social investment, responsible business practices, and philanthropy.