Solon bats for senior citizen-, PWD-friendly infra projects in 2021
HOUSE Deputy Majority Leader Bernadette Herrera-Dy said all infrastructure projects that will be implemented next year should be accessible to all, including senior citizens and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Ms. Herrera, who represents the Bagong Henerasyon party-list, said she fully supports the suggestion of some senators to include a provision in the proposed 2021 budget that all infrastructure projects — from construction to repair and rehabilitation — must be senior citizen- and PWD-friendly. “While there are several laws that promote accessibility to seniors and PWDs, this is seldom applied, making it difficult for this segment of society to access buildings and utilize various facilities and even public transport,” she said in a statement. Ms. Herrera is part of the 21-member House of Representatives contingent to the bicameral conference committee on the proposed P4.5-trillion national budget for 2021. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza
Task force on zero hunger seeks stronger public-private partnership
THE government’s Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Zero Hunger is pushing for stronger ties between the public and private sectors to achieve goals under the National Food Policy of not just addressing hunger but poverty as well. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei B. Nograles, who chairs the task force, said the recent series of consultations is expected to establish “a solid collaboration between the public and private sectors in implementing all their plans of action.” The consultations were attended by representatives from the World Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, World Food Programme, Food and Agriculture Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund, World Health Organization and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, academe, non-government organizations, civil society, and local governments. “We conducted the KUMAIN (Kasapatan at Ugnayan ng Mamamayan sa Akmang Pagkain At Nutrisyon) consultations thoroughly with as many partners as possible because we wanted a comprehensive and doable set of solutions,” Mr. Nograles said in a statement on Sunday. — Charmaine A. Tadalan