SATISFYING THE EXPERIENCE OF HUNGER: RECOVERING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RITE OF PRESENTATION OF THE GIFTS IN THE PHILIPPINE HUNGER SITUATION

In the Philippines, hunger is a significant problem. Children are the first to suffer. There are 7 million children in the country who experience hunger and malnutrition. The country's Global Hunger Index (GHI) score is 20.0 in 2017, which is higher than 2016's 19.9. The higher the score, the serious hunger is. This means that the Philippines is one of the countries with a serious hunger conditions. In fact, it is ranked 68th out of 119 countries assessed by the International Food Policy Research Institute. Although the Philippines is rich in natural resources, food shortage persists due to human causes like greed, injustice, armed conflicts, and inequality as well as natural occurrences like disasters, earthquakes, and typhoons.

To ensure food security to people, the Philippine government is undertaking various attempts and programs to alleviate hunger. It provides healthy meals for children in schools through feeding program. It also allotted 450 million dollars for the conditional cash transfer program known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino. Despite the continuous efforts of the government and other institutions, hunger still persists. Thus, food security, guarantees the availability and sufficiency of food to the Filipinos.

Interestingly, the Philippines is proudly boasted to be predominantly Christians. More than 86 percent of the total population belongs to Roman Catholic religion yet hunger has become an urgent and widespread human suffering in the country. Thousands of people flock to the church every Sunday and hundred thousand Masses are celebrated in churches during Simbang Gabi and Holy Week, but hunger remains a serious problem. It is good to ask how it is possible that the country is largely Christians and celebrate the Eucharist everyday without committing to the personal and societal liberation of people from hunger. So, the real problem is to find whether the Eucharist has relevance and response to the social question of hunger. Such question, therefore, has become enticing to theologians.

The Vatican II Council declares that the Eucharist is the "source and summit of Christian life." Through the liturgical reform, the Eucharist is central to the Christian life and worship. Consequently, the liturgical renewal gives rise to the active, full and fruitful participation of the entire People of God in the eucharistic celebration. Hence, food security problem of hunger can be understood and interpreted within the context of the Eucharist. When the inherent values of the Eucharist are lived and applied, then it would be of great help to get rid of hunger.