Title
Creation of Local Anti-Hunger Task Force
Law
Executive Order No. 825
Decision Date
Jul 29, 2009
Executive Order No. 825 establishes the Local Anti-Hunger Task Force in the Philippines to address the high incidence of hunger, with the Department of Health leading the initiative and creating regional and provincial task forces to coordinate and implement hunger mitigation programs.
hunger mitigation programs
regional task forces
provincial task forces

Policy purpose and program framework

  • The policy commitment is to eradicate deprivation related to hunger by pursuing the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.
  • Hunger-mitigation measures must address both the supply side (unavailability or insufficiency of food to eat) and the demand side (lack of money to buy food).
  • The Accelerated Hunger-Mitigation Program (AHMP) serves as the landmark national program to address hunger through component programs implemented by national agencies in cooperation with local government units (LGUs).
  • National initiatives under the AHMP must be coordinated and rationalized, especially at the local level, to ensure broader reach among poor and hungry households.
  • The task force structure at regional and provincial levels is intended to facilitate implementation of AHMP at the local level.

Legal basis; related anti-hunger task forces

  • The national Anti-Hunger Task Force (AHTF) was created by Executive Order 616, signed on 3 April 2007.
  • The Secretary of Health and Chair of the National Nutrition Council (NNC) Governing Board is tasked to lead the national AHTF to ensure that hunger-mitigation measures are in place.
  • National government agencies designated to implement AHMP components must have anti-hunger focal persons for primary implementation responsibility within their agencies.
  • DOH-NNC is designated as the oversight agency of the AHMP.

Scope: where task forces operate

  • The Regional/Provincial Anti-Hunger Task Force (R/PAHTF) must be created in provinces covered by the AHMP.
  • The R/PAHTF must facilitate coordination, complementation, and convergence of services and resources.
  • The R/PAHTF must widen the program’s reach among poor and hungry households in identified priority areas.
  • The Regional Task Force operates under the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC) umbrella.
  • The Provincial Task Force operates under the Provincial Nutrition Committee (PNC) umbrella.

Regional Anti-Hunger Task Force composition

  • The Regional Task Force at the regional level is under the umbrella of the Regional Nutrition Committee (RNC).
  • The Regional Task Force members include the following agencies and representatives:
    • Department of Agriculture (DA) including Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), National Food Authority (NFA), and National Irrigation Administration (NIA).
    • Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR).
    • Department of Budget and Management (DBM).
    • Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
    • Department of Education (DepEd).
    • Department of Health (DOH) including National Nutritional Council and Population Commission.
    • Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) including Philippine National Police (PNP).
    • Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) including 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) including Philippine Ports Authority and/or Port District Office (PPA-DOTC) and Philippine Coast Guard.
    • Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
    • National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).
    • Armed Forces of the Philippines including Philippine Navy and Philippine Army.
    • Representatives of League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) Regional Executive Board and League of Cities of the Philippines Regional Executive Board.
    • Non-government organizations, including faith-based organizations, operating in the region.
    • Others, as may be decided on by the RNC.
  • The order also provides special reference for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) in agency focal-person and oversight arrangements.

Provincial Anti-Hunger Task Force composition

  • The Provincial Task Force at the provincial level is under the umbrella of the Provincial Nutrition Committee (PNC).
  • The Provincial Task Force members include the following:
    • Department/offices of the provincial government, including:
      • Office of the Governor
      • Provincial Planning and Development Office
      • Provincial Nutrition Office/Unit or equivalent
      • Provincial Health Office or equivalent
      • Provincial Population Office or equivalent
      • Provincial Budget Office
      • Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office or equivalent
      • Provincial Agriculture Office
      • Provincial Veterinary Office
      • Local office in charge of livelihood, if available
    • Representative of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines Provincial Chapter.
    • Representative of the Federation of Liga ng mga Barangay.
    • National agencies with provincial offices, including DA bureaus/offices (PCA, BFAR, NFA, NIA), DAR, DENR, DepED, DOH, DILG including PNP, DOLE, DPWH, DTI, PPA, PIA, TESDA, and AFP.
    • Non-government organizations, especially faith-based organizations, operating in the province.
    • Others, as may be decided on by the PNC.

Task force duties and implementation responsibilities

  • The Regional Anti-Hunger Task Force (RAHTF) must coordinate with the national and provincial AHTF and oversee AHMP implementation.
  • The RAHTF must ensure convergence of services delivered by national government agencies and LGUs.
  • The RAHTF must monitor AHMP implementation at regional and provincial levels through:
    • Review of monthly progress reports on AHMP implementation.
    • Regular meetings for updates and discussion/resolution of implementation problems.
    • Annual program implementation review to assess accomplishments and gaps.
    • Regular project site visits.
    • Horizontal and vertical feedback to regional offices of national agencies and to national/local levels.
  • The RAHTF must recommend to the national task force policy and program adjustments to improve program efficiency.
  • The RAHTF must lead advocacy for sustainable and region-wide support and must provide the public with regular AHMP updates.
  • The RAHTF must provide technical assistance to the PAHTF on program management.
  • The RAHTF must coordinate with the Regional Kalahi Convergence Group to complement AHMP with other poverty-alleviation efforts in the province and region.

Anti-hunger focal persons and oversight agency

  • The heads of the member-agencies of the RAHTF must serve as the anti-hunger focal person of their agency.

  • For ARMM, the agency focal person may be served by the Department Secretary of the aforementioned agencies.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must ensure smooth implementation of the agency’s hunger-mitigation component program.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must ensure timely disbursement of funds for AHMP component programs and facilitate convergence of resources for efficient service delivery.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must ensure complementation of the agency’s AHMP component programs with other AHMP components and related LGU initiatives.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must monitor implementation of the agency’s AHMP components and report progress to the Department Secretary, with a copy furnished to NNC-RO; for ARMM, reporting is to the Regional Governor of ARMM, preferably with a copy to counterpart secretaries at the national level.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must conduct annual in-house program implementation reviews and advocate sustained support.

  • Each anti-hunger focal person must provide the public with correct information on the agency’s hunger-mitigation programs and provide other assistance as needed by the RAHTF.

  • The NNC Regional Office must serve as oversight agency for AHMP implementation at the regional level.

  • The NNC Regional Office must organize the RAHTF, monitor AHMP components, and prepare monthly progress reports for submission to the RAHTF and NNC central office.

  • The NNC Regional Office must maintain a database on AHMP and ensure its use by the R/PAHTF for program management.

  • For ARMM, the Regional Governor may designate the region as the oversight agency that performs the above oversight functions to ensure hunger-mitigation programs are in place and implemented.

Provincial plan formulation and governor-linked duties

  • The Provincial Anti-Hunger Task Force (PAHTF) must formulate an annual AHMP provincial plan.

  • The PAHTF must coordinate and oversee implementation of the provincial hunger mitigation plan and ensure convergence of services delivered by national government agencies and LGUs.

  • The PAHTF must assist municipal and barangay governments in resource generation for hunger-mitigation programs and projects.

  • The PAHTF must monitor AHMP provincial plan implementation through:

    • Monthly progress reports on provincial plan implementation submitted to the RAHTF through the NNC regional office, and for ARMM, to the designated oversight agency.
    • Regular meetings to update progress and discuss/resolve implementation problems.
    • Annual program implementation review to assess accomplishments and gaps.
    • Regular project site visits.
    • Horizontal and vertical feedback to offices of the provincial government and to national, regional, municipal, and barangay levels.

  • The PAHTF must lead advocacy for sustainable support at the provincial level and must provide the public with regular updates on AHMP.

  • The governor is encouraged to organize and chair the PAHTF.

  • The governor is encouraged to serve as anti-hunger champion and ensure hunger mitigation programs are integrated in the province’s annual investment plan.

  • The governor is encouraged to lead and supervise formulation and implementation of the provincial hunger mitigation plan, including ensuring:

    • AHMP component programs reach areas and families needing more assistance.
    • Local and national AHMP component programs complement one another.
    • Implementation issues are identified and corrective actions continuously undertaken.
    • Community and target beneficiaries participate in planning, implementation, and monitoring.
    • Poor and severely hungry families whose children are out-of-school are identified and given assistance.
    • Good and effective practices are documented and shared with other LGUs, and adapted/replicated.

  • The head of a provincial department or office implementing AHMP components is likewise encouraged to:

    • Integrate hunger-mitigation programs into the annual investment plan of the department or office.
    • Ensure smooth implementation and timely disbursement of funds for AHMP component programs.
    • Ensure complementation with other province and national government agency components.
    • Monitor implementation and report progress to the provincial governor through the designated local focal person or office.
    • Advocate sustained support and provide the public with correct information on the province’s hunger-mitigation component programs, and provide other assistance as needed by the PAHTF.

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