EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 616, April 03, 2007

CREATION OF THE ANTI-HUNGER TASK FORCE

WHEREAS, the latest quarterly survey on hunger conducted by the Social Weather Stations reported that 19% or 3.3 million families suffer from involuntary hunger;

WHEREAS, the Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program is the landmark program of the Arroyo Government to address hunger both on the aspect of supply or the unavailability or insufficiency of food and on the aspect of demand or the inability to buy food;

WHEREAS, the National Nutrition Council, by virtue of Executive Order 472, was tasked to ensure a client-based operations and to undertake necessary steps to prioritize addressing hunger and malnutrition;

WHEREAS, the National Nutrition Council, by virtue of the Memorandum from the President dated 06 July 2006, was directed to oversee the implementation of the Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program as formulated by the National Economic and Development Authority to cut hunger incidence by half in one (1) year;

WHEREAS, the Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program is implemented by national government agencies based on hunger-mitigation program framework;

WHEREAS, in view of the current hunger situation, it is imperative to further accelerate actions to mitigate hunger in six (6) months;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by law do hereby order the following:

Section 1. Creation of the Anti-Hunger Task Force.

The Anti-Hunger Task Force is hereby created composed of national government agencies implementing the component programs of the Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program (AHMP). The Task Force will closely work with faith-based organizations to widen the reach of the program among the poor and hungry households in the National Capital Region and the identified priority provinces of the country.

Section 2. Composition.

2.1 The Anti-Hunger Task Force shall be composed of the following agencies:

Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR)

Presidential Agrarian Reform Council (PARC-DAR)

Department of Agriculture (DA)

Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI)

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR-DA)

Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI-DA)

Coconut Industry Investment Fund (CIIF)

National Food Authority (NFA-DA)

National Irrigation Administration (NIA-DA)

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA-DA)

Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Philippine Forest Corporation (PFC-DENR)

Department of Education (DepEd)

Department of Health

Commission on Population (POPCOM)

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG)

Philippine National Police (PNP)

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)

Technical Skills and Development Authority (TESDA)

Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH)

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC)

Philippine Ports Authority (PPA-DOTC)

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)

Office of the President

Commission on Higher Education

National Anti-Poverty Commission

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA)

People’s Credit Finance Corporation (PCFC)

Armed Forces of the Philippines

Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines/National Social Action Center

2.2 The National Nutrition Council of the Department of Health shall lead the Task Force to ensure that hunger-mitigation measures are in place.

Section 3. Duties of the Task Force.

3.1 The Department Secretary/Head of the above-mentioned agencies shall serve as the Anti-Hunger Focal Person of his/her department. He/she shall:

a. fast track the implementation of his/her agency’s hunger-mitigation component program/s;

b. ensure timely disbursement of funds for the implementation of said program/s;

c. monitor the implementation of his/her agency’s hunger-mitigation component program and report to the President, through the DOH-National Nutrition Council, its progress of implementation;

d. provide the public with correct information about his/her hunger-mitigation component program; and

e. provide other assistance as may be needed to carry-out the functions and duties of the Task Force.

3.2 The DOH-National Nutrition Council shall:

a. serve as the oversight agency for the implementation of the AHMP;

b. monitor the implementation of program components of the AHMP by the implementing agencies; and

c. report to the President and the Cabinet the progress of the implementation of the AHMP.

Section 4. Effectivity. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 3rd day of April, in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Seven.

(SGD.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO

By the President:

(SGD.) EDUARDO R. ERMITA

Executive Secretary