Astronaut food pill proposal: Absurd, dehumanizing

Instead of thinking about ways to ensure essential foods and services are accessible to the struggling masses, Sagip party list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta is advocating for “astronaut food pill” to end hunger for the poorest of the poor Filipinos. Absurd and dehumanizing.

Marcoleta put forward the idea that if astronauts can survive in space for a long time by relying solely on food pills, then it can as well aid the survival of people who are underprivileged to afford food for their everyday lives. In Marcoleta’s words: “even for months hindi sila kakain, hindi sila mamamatay.” If the poor will be provided with such a pill, they can go for weeks without buying food or cooking, and that, to him, is a huge deal.

Is this what we have been reduced to? Are proper and nutritious foods, which sustain a healthy body, only reserved for the privileged? Is it just “survival” that the poorest of the poor deserve?

It is oppressive to deprive the poor access to normal food. Rather than urging scientists to develop food pills that can mitigate hunger issues and food security problems, the government should instead focus on providing solutions that would, in the long run, ensure that everyone has access to healthy meals. This may come in the form of funding agricultural technologies that help in food mass production, addressing price hikes in basic commodities, or alleviating poverty in general.

Pushing for food pills to replace normal food for those who cannot afford it is exceedingly nonsensical and unfathomable. Even grade schoolers could make better suggestions for ways to address hunger and poverty in the country. Doesn’t Marcoleta see the poor as people too?

Note: Astronauts do not consume pills in space. According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration website, astronauts eat three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Nutritionists ensure the food astronauts eat provides them with a balanced supply of vitamins and minerals. An astronaut can choose from many types of foods that are dehydrated or preserved to last for months while in space—contrary to Marcoleta’s claims.

Shane Liway R. Eligado,

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