Nutrition of our last, least, and lost. 2025

July is National Nutrition Month. Again, various data remind us that: 1.) 51 million Filipinos experienced moderate or severe food insecurity between 2021-2023 (Food and Agriculture Organization Report, 2024), 2.) 25.9% of Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger (Social Weather Stations Survey, December, 2024), and, 3.) 31.1% of Filipinos are considered moderately to severely food insecure, with 2.7% considered severely food insecure (Expanded National Nutrition Survey, 2023).

- Cherry Piquero-Ballescas

The hungry are among the least, the last, and the lost whose number is legion.

The least and the last are never at all prioritized, not even for their most basic need --food. The lost are never found within the radar of officials/politicians' priorities.

The children are the most deprived among the least/the last/the lost. Who among the newly-elected has mentioned/prioritized feeding the hungry, feeding our children within their first 100 days in office? Who among the elected in the past has focused on the needs of the least, the last and lost during their term?

Perhaps it is time to call the attention of the newly elected to improve the lot of these least/last/lost, especially the children, as their most important achievement within their term?

Let’s keep score and check if life will be better for the least, last and lost, especially the children, within three years, within the administration of the newly elected and incumbent officials.