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Amid gastronomic uproar, govt bares anti-hunger order


Amid the public uproar over lavish dinners in the United States of President Arroyo and her entourage, Malacañang disclosed an order creating an anti-hunger task force. A Palace article posted on its Web site Tuesday said Executive Order No. 825 was signed by President Arroyo on July 29, 2009, to show the President’s commitment to eradicating hunger in the country. Apparently, no delicious irony was intended, even as news of the anti-hunger executive order was posted on the web in the wake of sensational revelations of the Arroyo entourage's gustatory extravagance. Less than a week after the President signed the EO, the public was greeted by news of an upscale dinner in New York. Even before the controversial New York dinner, the Arroyo entourage splurged on "lobster, steak and fine wines" worth $15,000 at a Washington restaurant, a Washington Post blog reported on Wednesday. Earlier Wednesday, two lawmakers asked the Office of the Ombudsman to look into the controversial New York dinner, saying those present could have violated several laws, including Republic Act 6713 or the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. SWS survey The Malacañang article said that in signing the EO, the President noted the rising poverty as shown in surveys conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The latest quarterly survey showed that hunger incidence declined dramatically in the first quarter this year from a record-high of 23.7 percent (estimated 4.3 million families) in the previous quarter (4TH quarter of 2008) to 15.5 percent (estimated 2.9 million families out of the 86 million Filipino population). The Palace statement said that the national Anti-Hunger Task Force (AHTF) was created by virtue of Executive Order No. 616 which the President signed on April 3, 2007. It is composed of 29 national government agencies and faith-based organizations implementing one or more of the AHMP component programs, the article said. With EO No. 825, focal persons would be identified in local government units to coordinate with national agencies under the AHTF- GMANews.TV

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