Solons outline PBBM’S pivotal role in boosting agri production

LAWMAKERS said President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr., will play a pivotal role in boosting Philippine agriculture.

Marcos, during his inauguration, had made pronouncements about revamping the structure of the Department of Agriculture.

Albay Rep. Joey Sarte Salceda said Marcos will likely focus on three key areas in agriculture: yield for main or staple crops, lower input costs and more direct delivery to end-users to reduce consumer prices of food and modernization of value chains and logistics for agriculture.

Salceda also suggested to the new administration a framework for immediately boosting Philippine agriculture.

“[We should] coordinate the DTI [Department of Trade and Industry], DOST [Department of Science and Technology], GFIS [government financial institutions], DICT [Department of Information and Communications Technology], and other relevant authorities to provide services to every stage of the agricultural value chain, from post-harvest processing, packaging, cold storage, transport, and marketing [including online] to boost agricultural production and sell to the consumer with minimal pass-through or middleman costs,” he said.

The lawmaker added the government should also mobilize the Armed Forces of the Philippines Corps of Engineers to ease farmto-market chokepoints, expedite the completion of ongoing farmto-market roads, and other valuechain infrastructure and expand recruitment and deployment of irrigation development officers and other integrators of farm inputs.

“Map the agricultural value chain and require certain companies to produce or import supplies in severe deficiency [such as fertilizers],” he said.

“[We should also] issue executive orders intensifying enforcement against price gouging, uncompetitive behavior, and other market abuses, especially in farm inputs,” he added.

Salceda said the government must also require that Citizenship Advancement Training, SK Programs, and other youth activities to have a food production component.

The lawmaker said the government should also require the use of unutilized urban government land, such as unproductive land in schools and government complexes for the production of nutritious food.

“[We should] make seeds and basic food garden starters widely available, especially to low-income communities. [We should also] establish powers that would allow the President to require canning, preservation, and other methods of extending the shelf-life of surplus food production [similar to Defense Production Act powers],” he added.

For his part, 1 Pacman Rep. Mikee Romero said that it is the time to rally behind the country’s goals and aspirations laid out in the inaugural address of President Marcos.

“If we want to help our country recover from the pandemic, high inflation, and high fuel prices, we cannot fail the Filipino people,” he said.

“It is time to put in place the building blocks of the country’s strategic fuel reserve, which I have long proposed, so that when fuel prices subside and stabilize that would be the time to inject the fuel reserves into the facilities and system built for the purpose,” he said.

Crucial to the food self-sufficiency objectives of the new administration, he said the government must build an efficient commodities market and trading system, including its component storage depots, accountability and transparency mechanisms, and the commodities exchange.

Bagong Henerasyon Rep. Bernadette Herrera said investment and accountability in public utilities and energy sector will help achieve “sufficiency and plenty” under the Marcos administration.

“I agree with what President Marcos Jr. said about energy sufficiency. This is consistent with my long-standing position on public utilities including the power utilities,” she said.

“I have long been for renewable energy, solar power, wind power, mini-grids and microgrids, and mini-hydro facilities because these are the energy technologies suited to our archipelagic needs,” she added.

In the 19th Congress, Herrera said what the President said can be paired with specific actions in terms of annual appropriations, bills encouraging investments and accountability in the energy, water, and telecoms sectors.

“This is how we can help achieve sufficiency and plenty for the Filipino people,” she added.

‘Great leader’

HOUSE Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin G. Romualdez said President-elect Marcos Jr. “will be a great President.”

“He made history by being the first majority President in modern times. I am sure he has his eyes on other extraordinary feats by having a legacy Filipinos will be proud of for many years and by being a great President,” Romualdez said. “President Marcos will play a pivotal role in uniting the nation which is key to moving the country to greater heights.”