SENATOR Grace Poe on Wednesday prodded the Inter-Agency Task Force on Zero Hunger to heighten efforts to save children from hunger and malnutrition during the pandemic.

She issued the call following a World Bank warning that many Filipino children are suffering from acute malnutrition.

Poe said that the country needs a focused, community-based approach in addressing the problem of malnutrition.

“Hunger is a reality in this pandemic and children in poorer families are worse off. With the soaring prices of pork, chicken and fish, malnutrition in children is a certainty unless we work now to stave it off,” she said.

In a study released last week, the World Bank said that wasting among Filipino children is happening and the toll it takes on their young bodies will only be seen in the next years.

The study said four out of 10 children in poor households are stunted.

Poe lamented that the government has not paid enough attention on the impact of the pandemic on poor children and their nutrition.

“Children in poor families need all the help we all can give. Attending to their nutrition and growth must be our collaborative commitment,” Poe said.

“Kapakanan ng tao ang dapat laging pangunahing layunin ng pamahalaan, lalo na ang pagkalinga sa ating mga musmos para hindi sila mapag-iwanan,” the senator, who authored of the Masustansiyang Pagkain para sa Batang Pilipino Act, said.