The Philippines on Sunday announced a new anti-hunger task force after a survey last month found that 3.4 million households had suffered starvation recently, despite economic growth. President Gloria Arroyo said the task force would work closely with religious organisations to widen the reach of government's food programme beyond the slums of Manila to the impoverished countryside.
The Social Weather Stations in a survey published last month said a record 3.4 million Filipino households claim they have experienced starvation at least once in the past three months.