Department of Community and Cultural Affairs Secretary Melvin Faisao said a bigger share of the family income usually goes to pay for utilities.
‘The increases in the costs for home electrical, sewer and water costs in the recent years are having a heavy impact on consumers, particularly the low-income families,” he added.
He said in the past year, low-income families have to make a choice between paying for food or utilities.
These families tend to spend a bigger share of their incomes to pay for utilities, housing and other bills, he added.
This results in less food to eat, he said.
According to Faisao, paying rent, child care and car bill are other expenses that are unavoidable.
Because of the everyday struggle between food and competing expenses, low-income households often fall behind in their payments, owe money to friends or relatives, rely on welfare assistance or take other special measures.
Faisao is asking the Legislature to urge the U.S Congress to enact the child nutrition reauthorization bill which aims to eliminate child hunger particularly in schools.
