(UPDATE) UNITED NATIONS: President Ferdinand 'Bongbong' Marcos Jr. on Tuesday (Wednesday in Manila) called for stronger cooperation with other UN members to boost food security in the Philippines amid the disruption of global food supply due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine.

'We need to take concrete steps toward a modern and resilient agriculture. For food is not just a trade commodity nor a livelihood; it is an existential imperative, and a moral one. It is the very basis of human security,' said Marcos during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly here.