MANILA - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has teamed up with 10 legislators to put up a "parliamentary alliance" that will focus on food security and nutrition in the Philippines.

The group is expected to initiate discussion on proposed and pending policies on agriculture and food security.

"Legislators and policy makers play a critical role in creating an environment that enables the poor and marginalized to have a better chance of improving their quality of life and contributing to country's food security and sustainable growth," said Jose Luis Fernandez, FAO representative in the Philippines.

Latest data show that despite the country's robust economic growth, around 1.3 million Filipino families, or over 8 million individuals, were still unable to meet their basic food needs in 2015.

Senator Cynthia Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, said there is a scheduled hearing on imposing tariff on rice, which is seen to compliment the lifting of quantitative restrictions on importation of rice, this week.

Senator Sonny Angara, chairperson of the ways and means committee, said although agriculture may have been the "forgotten child" of the country, it is not yet too late to rectify this.

- Business Nightly, 17 January 2018