Globe has partnered with the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to open up the Hapag Movement to international donors, launching the collaboration on World Hunger Day to spotlight the lingering hunger problem in the Philippines.

Driving on the positive momentum the Hapag Movement has built over the past two years, this landmark collaboration takes the initiative to the global stage, enabling Globe to rally support from individuals and organizations outside the country.

The partnership is seen to expand the Hapag Movement’s donor reach and amplify its impact. So far, it has helped feed over 95,000 beneficiaries and produced 2,662 livelihood training graduates since its launch in 2022.

The Hapag Movement aims to address involuntary hunger by providing sustainable feeding and livelihood training to vulnerable families, leveraging partnerships to raise funds and reach communities. By joining forces with the UN World Food Programme, Globe hopes to tap the Filipino diaspora and get support from other international donors to bring urgent help to the hungry.

“We are privileged to collaborate with the UN World Food Programme, global leader in the fight against hunger and the largest international ally of the Hapag Movement. With their support, we are optimistic about mobilizing the global donor community to tackle the urgent issue of hunger in the Philippines,” said Yoly Crisanto, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Communications Officer at Globe.

Hunger persists as a critical challenge in the country. According to the latest Social Weather Stations survey, nearly 4 million Filipino families experienced involuntary hunger in the first quarter of 2024. The Philippines also scored 14.8 on the 2023 Global Hunger Index, indicating a “moderate” level of hunger.

“Private sector partnerships are critical in achieving UN Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger. Globe’s expansive network will allow us to support more food-insecure Filipinos. We are grateful for Globe’s strong commitment to address hunger,” said Dipayan Bhattacharyya, WFP Philippines Country Director ad interim.

Founded in 1961, the UN World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. With over 23,000 staff in more than 120 countries and territories, WFP provides life-saving food assistance in emergencies and works with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience.

WFP runs the ShareTheMeal initiative founded in 2015, having provided over 226 million meals and garnered 1.6 million supporters across 38 countries, including the Philippines. For as low as Php40 pesos and a few taps on the phone, anyone can provide a nourishing meal to someone in need.

Donations can be made by visiting the Hapag Movement challenge link on ShareTheMeal. In addition, Globe and GCash customers all around the world will soon be able to donate to ShareTheMeal through the GlobeOne and GCash apps.

WFP also assists Walang Gutom 2027, a nutrition-sensitive program led by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), to address involuntary hunger, and works with the Philippine Government to expand the School-Based Feeding Program. Funds raised through this partnership will be channeled to WFP to support the implementation of school meals and Walang Gutom 2027: Food e-Voucher Program.

“The DSWD welcomes this partnership between Globe and the World Food Programme that will boost our full-scale implementation of the Walang Gutom 2027 Food Stamps Program for the benefit of food poor families,” DSWD Usec. Eduardo Punay.

“Both organizations had significant contributions to the success of the flagship program’s pilot implementation. The Department is glad to again share with Globe and WFP the goal of addressing hunger and malnutrition in our country in pursuit of the Marcos Jr. administration’s whole-of-nation approach in tackling socio-economic problems,” he added. (PR)

TACLOBAN CITY- A 14-year-old student from Silvino Lubos in Northern Samar was able to complete his elementary education, courtesy of the Philippine National Police (PNP) “Bulig Eskwela Program” in Northern Samar.

The beneficiary, Joshua Surio, who is a resident of Poblacion 3, Suba of said town graduated on May 29, 2024.

“Congratulations on your elementary graduation! This achievement reflects your remarkable dedication, hard work, and perseverance,” said Lieutenant Colonel Edwin Oloan Jr, commander 2nd Northern Samar Provincial Mobile Force Company (NSPMFC).
Oloan selected Surio for the police unit’s “emerging best practice.”

“May this milestone be the foundation for a future filled with greater and bigger accomplishments. Continue to strive for the best,” he added.

Surio is the fourth among the eight siblings, whose father is a construction worker in Manila while their mother is an ordinary housewife.

Oloan’s unit supported Surio’s studies because of the child’s “desire to provide a good future for himself and to his family.”

“Bulig Eskwela Program aims to help children and parents who are deeply in need, those who can’t afford to send their children to school, empower and support them in their educational aspirations, improve their future prospects, and contribute to the overall well-being of the community,” the police unit said in a statement.

“The unit also recognizes the importance of investing in education for individuals to help them reach their full potential as education plays a crucial role in breaking the cycle of poverty and promoting social mobility,” it added.(RONALD O. REYES)

ORMOC CITY– Six sachets containing white crystalline substances suspected to be shabu were recovered during a buy-bust operation led by the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of Southern Leyte Provincial Police Office and the City Drug Enforcement Team of Maasin City police.

The suspect was identified as Eddie Doroy, 31, and barangay tanod of Brgy. Ibarra of said city.

He is listed as a street-level individual (SLI) in the drug watchlist of the local police.

Recovered from the possession of the suspect during the 7:12 pm sting operation on May 29 were five sachets containing a white crystalline substance suspected to be shabu procured by an operative in the amount of P5,000.

Charges of violations of sections 5 (selling illegal drugs) & 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Article II of RA 9165, the Comprehensive Law against Illegal Drugs of 2002, were filed by the arresting police at the Provincial Office here against the suspect who is temporarily detained at the locked-up cell of Maasin city police station.
(ROBERT DEJON)

With projected bad weather due to La Niña

TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Social Welfare and Development Resource Operations Center 8 (DSWD-RROC8) in Palo, Leyte is ramping up efforts to ensure its disaster preparedness and efficient response to various regional emergencies.

Marie Nelle Lumagsao, information officer of the disaster response management division–disaster response information and management section (DRMD-DRIMS), emphasized that they have increased their preposition sites to provide quick support to affected areas.
These sites are strategically located to ensure prompt delivery of relief goods across the region, she said.

As of May 29, provinces with preposition sites are Northern Samar with 14; Samar,13;Eastern Samar,9; Leyte, 13; Southern Leyte, 9; and Biliran, 5.

Lumagsao said that there is a 91,000-item inventory count all over the region, with about 50,000 items held in the RROC8 warehouse and the rest distributed across the 63 preposition sites.

Distributed items include boxes of food (10 canned goods, 10 sachet drink mix, and 6 kilograms of vacuum-sealed rice), pails with hygiene kits (bath soap, laundry soap, shampoo, sanitary napkins, toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, shaving razor, nail cutter, and water dipper), and sleeping kits (mosquito net, blanket, pillow, sleeping mat, malong).

Lumagsao said that not all families receive non-food items such as hygiene kits and sleeping kits, as these are provided based on requests from local government units (LGUs).

Inventory checks for goods are conducted every three months with near-expiry items, identified as those with three months left until expiration, are distributed through LGU proposals for activities like food-for-work and food-for-training programs, particularly those focusing on environmental initiatives like prevention and mitigation training, including coastal clean-ups.

RROC8 is also preparing for the onset of La Niña in June with an expected delivery of 50,000 food packs from the National Resource Operations Center (NROC).
(GOLDA MEIR C.CABIDOG, LEYTE NORMAL UNIVERSITY STUDENT INTERN)