“Pagsibol” campaign combats hunger among Filipinos through foodsheds

BPI Foundation, the social development arm of the Bank of the Philippine Islands, together with its partner, World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines (WWF-Philippines), recently launched its “Pagsibol” Fundraising Campaign to help address the food security challenges of low-income communities across the country.

In the Philippines, an estimated 7.6 million Filipino families, or 30.7% of all families, experienced involuntary hunger from July to September. The latest figure was the highest recorded since March 2012. Prior to the pandemic, the low-income urban and rural communities already had limited access to food. The lockdowns have worsened their situation.

“In these trying times, our low-income communities need our support now more than ever. At BPI Foundation, we would like to grow seeds of change through this food security initiative. Our goal is to build sustainable foodsheds for hundreds of Filipino families,” said BPI Foundation Executive Director Owen Cammayo.

WWF-Philippines Executive Director Joel Palma shared that the foodsheds – climate-resilient food production facilities – will provide immediate access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food for the communities. These will also help them earn a living in the new normal.

A single foodshed can hold 20 trays of lettuce and other leafy vegetables, 60 containers of fruiting vegetables and other suitable crops, and 100 heads of broiler chickens. It can sustainably satisfy the needs of up to 30 households.

Delighted with the meaningful initiative, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar expressed his support saying, “I commend WWF-Philippines and BPI Foundation for embarking on a timely and much-needed response to soften the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to those from vulnerable sectors.”

The “Pagsibol” Fundraising Campaign will run until October 26, 2020.