Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles led the successful holding of the 5th leg of the Kasama sa Pamana: Regional Pre-SONA Series in Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro last May 25, 2021. The event was attended by officials from national government agencies, local chief executives, and other stakeholders.
This was part of preparations for President Rodrigo Duterte’s sixth and last State of the Nation Address on July 2021, under the leadership of the Office of the Cabinet Secretariat (OCS) and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) in coordination with the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Regional Development Councils (RDCs), chairpersons of the Cabinet Clusters, members of the Cabinet and the Office of the Executive Secretary.
One of the key issues Nograles discussed was how the Task Force Zero Hunger, which he chairs, was able to focus on programs addressing hunger, poverty, and malnutrition in the country.
The activity, which was held at the Capitol’s Tamaraw Hall, aims to inform constituents in different regions of the various achievements of the Duterte administration, including plans for the remainder of the President’s term.
It featured a comprehensive report on measures taken on the economy, infrastructure, peace and order, as well as efforts to address the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic under the National Vaccination Deployment Plan (NVDP).
Nograles was joined by CORDS Mimaropa and Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, PCOO Undersecretary and PIA Director-General Ramon Cualoping III and DOH-Region IV-B Director Dr. Mario Baquilod all served as resource persons.
The Malacanang official added that he was focusing on expanding the coverage of the anti-hunger projects in regions and provinces.
One of the key issues Nograles discussed was how the Task Force Zero Hunger, which he chairs, was able to focus on programs addressing hunger, poverty and malnutrition in the country, stressing the “importance of the proper implementation of the National Food Policy because it will serve as the roadmap to our #GoodbyeGutom advocacy and aims to show the effectiveness of our whole-of-nation approach involving development partners from the private sector, academe, civil society, people’s organizations, and various stakeholders groups.”
The Malacanang official added that he was focusing on expanding the coverage of the anti-hunger projects in regions and provinces, foremost of which is the Enhanced Program Against Hunger and Poverty (EPHAP) effort to elevate the livelihoods of farmers, fisherfolk, and other community-based organizations in the countryside.
“Wherever we are in the country, our fight against hunger and poverty should take center stage. In this regard, we actively pursued partnerships with the private sector to involve as many actors and participants as ever in our anti-malnutrition campaign. Government cannot do the task alone. We must collaborate for better and more lasting results, all for the benefit of the Filipino people.”
“Kailangan natin magtulungan, lalo na’t patuloy pa nating binubuno ang Covid-19 pandemic. We’re leading the Zero Hunger Task Force with the objective of having a positive impact on the lives of our kababayans before President Duterte’s term ends in 2022,” Nograles stressed.