Bayan Muna lambasted the National Economic and Development Authority’s (NEDA) claim that P64 per day is sufficient for a nutritious food budget for a person. The progressive group conducted a market challenge to expose the inadequacy of this proposed amount.
“We reject NEDA’s grossly unrealistic food budget. This amount is not only insufficient but also promotes malnutrition among our people,” Bayan Muna stated.
Bayan Muna members visited Commonwealth Market to demonstrate the stark reality of what P64 can actually purchase. They attempted to buy items based on NEDA’s suggested menu, which includes scrambled egg, coffee with milk, and rice for breakfast; monggo with malunggay and dried dilis for lunch; and fish or pork with vegetables for dinner.
“We are here in Commonwealth Market to prove our point and show what can really be bought with P64 while using their suggested menu,” a Bayan Muna spokesperson declared. “The results clearly demonstrate that NEDA’s food threshold is detached from the economic realities faced by ordinary Filipinos.”
“This market challenge exposes the government’s failure to address the worsening economic crisis. Instead of providing realistic solutions, they’re presenting misleading figures that downplay the severity of hunger and malnutrition in our country.”
NEDA should reassess its computations and consider the actual cost of living. “We demand that the government acknowledge the true state of poverty in the Philippines and implement genuine pro-people economic policies that will ensure food security and proper nutrition for all Filipinos,” Bayan Muna concluded.
