BARMM has highest incidence of food insecurity: DOST-FNRI

Pia Gutierrez, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN News/File" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2019/tvpatrol/01/24/20190125-cotabato.jpg"/><figcaption>Children enjoy playing by a river near the Grand Mosque in Cotabato City, January 24, 2019. <em>Jonathan Cellona, ABS-CBN News/File</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — The Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has the highest prevalence of food insecurity in the Philippines at 84 percent, according to a multi-year study done by the DOST-Food and Nutrition Research Institute.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/12/21/23/food-stamps-cash-gifts-govt-bets-big-on-eradicating-poverty">Food stamps, cash gifts: Gov&#x27;t bets big on eradicating poverty</a></li></ul><p>DOST-FNRI Director Imelda Agdeppa said other regions that recorded high food insecurity were the Caraga, Eastern Visayas, Northern Mindanao, Zamboanga Peninsula and Bicol.</p><p>Agdeppa explained being food insecure means having limited access to nutritious and safe food. </p><p>“Ito po ay may level na kalubhaan o severity mula sa pangangamba na hindi ka magkakaroon ng sapat na pagkain – that’s actually worrying about food; at iyong pagbabawas ng dami o kalidad ng pagkain – that means to say, we are reducing the quantity and the quality of food to be consumed because wala talagang pagkain,” she said in a televised interview Thursday.</p><p>The official said the government has programs in place to make nutritious food more accessible to poor Filipinos, particularly in food insecure areas. This includes the conduct of supplemental feeding programs using nutritious bread made from vitamin-rich vegetables such as squash, sweet potato, and carrots.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/PGWajoHr2-E?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><p>Agdeppa said the DOST-FNRI is also coordinating with the DSWD for the implementation of the food stamp program for the poorest Filipinos.</p><p>“Kami din po ang nagsabi sa kanila kung papaano nila hati-hatiin iyong P3,000 na ibinibigay natin sa mga tao para sa ganoon ay magkakaroon din sila ng tamang sustansiya, kahit man lang kaunti, at least naibsan natin ang hunger, para po ma-close natin kaunti iyong gap ng between intake at saka iyong kinakailangan ng katawan. So, kami din po ang kinunsulta nila,” she said.</p><p>But while poorer areas of the country suffer from the effects of food insecurity such as undernutrition leading to growth stunting, the DOST-FNRI noted that populations in highly-urbanized areas such as the National Capital Region which have a lower prevalence of food insecurity, meanwhile experience problems such as obesity or being overweight.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/12/19/23/heart-attack-diabetes-cancer-among-top-causes-of-death-in-ph-doh">Heart attack, diabetes, cancer among top causes of death in PH: DOH</a></li></ul><p>“Kapag nakita din po natin the other side of the point, ang NCR at saka iyong mga ibang rehiyon na highly-urbanized cities, ito po iyong nagkakaroon ng medyo mababang food insecurity level, sila din po ay nagkakaroon ng overweight and obesity na problema. So, again, if we try to really look at the solution, it should be a holistic solution, so that we can actually solve the both, at the end to end spectrum,” she said.</p><p>The official noted that aside from eating nutritious food, having ample exercise is also important to prevent being overweight or obese.</p><p>&quot;Kasi hindi lang naman talaga iyong formal exercise na pupunta sa gym and so on ang nakakapagpababa ng timbang. Ang problema kasi natin, kung obese o kaya overweight ang isang tao ay nagkakaroon po tayo ng higher probability ng magkaroon ng hypertension, magkakaroon ka ng mataas ang cholesterol mo, so maapektuhan iyong heart,” she said.</p><p>“So, iyon iyong problema na dapat talaga nating –kaya sinasabi po dapat holistic po iyong approach, may physical activity, may pagkain diyan, may tamang kantidad, may tamang quality ang dapat na sabihin po natin sa kanila.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AC0IRDDhz2M?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The official said the government has programs to make nutritious food more accessible to poor Filipinos, particularly in food insecure areas. 

BARMM has highest incidence of food insecurity: DOST-FNRI | ABS-CBN

Entertainment

News

Metro.Style

Sports

More

News

BARMM has highest incidence of food insecurity: DOST-FNRI

BARMM has highest incidence of food insecurity: DOST-FNRI

Pia Gutierrez,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 21, 2023 03:43 PM PHT

Read More:

regional news

DOST

FNRI

food insecurity

BARMM

Bangsamoro

food

poverty

research

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

ABS-CBN is the leading media and entertainment company in the Philippines, offering quality content across TV, radio, digital, and film. Committed to public service and promoting Filipino values, ABS-CBN continues to inspire and connect audiences worldwide.

Corporate

Investors

Governance

International Distribution

Corporate

Governance

Investors

International Distribution

NPC Seal of Registration

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

Advertise with Us

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

NPC Seal of Registration

Advertise with Us

Privacy Policy

Terms of Service

© 2025 ABS-CBN Corporation. All Rights Reserved.