Malacañang admitted on Friday that more should be done to address hunger caused by the COVID-19 lockdowns.

The Department of Science and Technology earlier this week said that of 5,717 households it polled between Nov. 2 and Dec. 3, 62.1 percent said they experienced moderate to severe food insecurity.

"Ginagawa po natin ang lahat para matugunan po itong problema ng kagutuman sa panahon ng pandemya, pero alam po natin na mas marami pang dapat gawin," said Palace spokesman Harry Roque.

(We are doing everything to address this problem of hunger during the pandemic, but we know that more should be done.)

The social welfare department is distributing food packs, on top of a fresh round of cash aid. Meanwhile the labor department is offering loans to businesses and rolling out a cash for work program, he said in a televised public briefing.

Metro Manila and several other areas remain under the second strictest quarantine level.

Some 500,000 people will remain out of work in the NCR Plus area even after government allowed the reopening of hair salons, barbershops, nail spas, and indoor restaurant dining, the trade department has said.

"Naintindihan po natin talaga na kapag hindi nakapagtrabaho ang mga tao ay talagang ang resulta ay kagutuman," said Roque.

"Kaya nga po gustuhin man natin na pahabain pa talaga itong lockdown na ito ay talagang napakahirap po ng desisyon dahil tinitimbang din natin iyong kahirapan na magiging bunga ng lockdown," he added.

(We understand that if people cannot work, this will lead to hunger. That is why even if we want to extend the lockdown, it is a very difficult decision because we weigh the suffering it will cause.)

The struggle of the poor through the pandemic this month spawned the sprouting of community pantries that provide free supply of food and other essentials.

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