PNFSP Challenge on the upcoming election

Make Food Security a National Priority

As the Philippine midterm elections on May 12, 2025 approach, the Philippine Network of Food Security Programmes (PNFSP) calls on all electoral candidates—at both national and local levels—to take a firm, public stand on the deepening crisis of food insecurity that continues to violate the right to food of millions of Filipinos.

Food is a right, not a privilege. Yet, across the country, hunger and malnutrition persist due to rising food prices, climate shocks, landlessness, and the continued neglect of rural and agricultural communities. The irony is stark: those who produce our food—small-scale farmers, fisherfolk, and indigenous communities—are among the hungriest and poorest.

We challenge all candidates to go beyond empty promises and commit to a clear, pro-people agenda for food security and sovereignty, including:

• Genuine agrarian reform and land rights protection;

• Direct support for smallholder farmers, fisherfolk, and agricultural workers;

• Investment in sustainable, climate-resilient, and community-based food systems;

• Policies that prioritize local food production over excessive imports;

• Institutional mechanisms for public participation in food and agricultural policy-making.

  
  

But this challenge is not only for the candidates—it is also for the Filipino people.

We call on all voters: Be wise, be vigilant, and be bold in your choice. Support only those candidates who are committed to social justice, the upliftment of the marginalized, and the fulfillment of every Filipino’s right to adequate, accessible, and nutritious food.

Let us reject those who exploit the poor for votes and uphold those who work for genuine change—not just during campaign season, but every single day in public service.

This election must be a turning point. We must elect leaders who are accountable, responsive, and truly rooted in the needs and aspirations of the people—especially the most vulnerable.