The Pillar

Bahay Pare Elementary School

Eradicating Hunger: A Vision for Sustainable

Development Goal
By: Kathlyn Joy D. David

According to a United Nations report, the number of

people who are hungry worldwide increased to 828
million in 2021, an increase of about 46 million since
2020 and 150 million since the COVID-19 pandemic.
This new data shows that the world is getting further
away from its goal of eradicating hunger, food insecurity,
and malnutrition in all of its forms by 2030.
As a third world country, Philippines has been stricken Light in Salt Water
By: Kathlyn Joy D. David
with hunger for more than a few decades. According to a
poll done by the Social Weather Stations from April 9 to The Philippine Institute for Development
Studies estimates that 16 million households
27, 2023, 12.2% of Filipinos overall, or an estimated 3.1
lacked electricity in 2013. This is what drove
million families, went hungry in the first three months of engineer and social worker Aisa Mijeno to
2022. create a lamp that doesn't require kerosene,
energy, or batteries. Only salt and water are
Aside from the hunger brought about by poverty, the required.
global pandemic had added to the causes of stretching On a 2011 immersion journey to the Kalinga
the number of families who went hungry in the past two highlands, where she resided with the Butbut
tribe in Buscalan, Aisa was motivated to make
years. Displaced workers and workers who lost their
this lamp. Because there is no electricity in
jobs had been through rough patch, having difficulties in the highlands, life comes to an abrupt end at
providing food in the table. dusk. To buy fuel for their lamps, they must
Targeting the sustainable development goals; end either build a fire or walk for hours to the
closest town.
hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition
and promote sustainable agriculture, everyone has a
role to portray and duties to perform. Strengthen the
support for the agriculture sector to help aid in food
shortages. Monitor the market price of basic food
necessities, invest in health and nutrition of citizens;
investing in human capital.