President Ferdinand Marcos Jr’.s plans for agriculture in his first State of the Nation Address received mixed reaction from stakeholders.
Tugon Kabuhayan, Taal Lake Aquaculture Alliance Inc., Pangisda and Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) see Marcos’ “clear vision to increase and support local production as doable and timely” after years of ill-timed importation compounded by unnecessary layers in the value chain.
“The challenge of our times is to locally produce more and the SONA emphasized the government’s commitment to subsidize essential farm inputs – fertilizers, pesticides, feeds and fuel. We also commend the marching order of increasing aquafarms, hog and poultry farms as the basis to increase local production,” said Jayson Cainglet, SINAG executive director, in a statement.
He added that condoning loans of small farmers and instituting financial assistance to help farmers are also positive developments for the sector.
However, fishers group Pamalakaya, expressed dismay over the President’s lack of a comprehensive plan on the issue of national sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea.
Ronnel Arambulo, the group’s spokesman, said in a statement ]they find no assurance by the President’s “in passing statement in regards to national sovereignty.”
“There was also no mention of supporting Filipino fisherfolks displaced and heavily affected by Chinese presence in our traditional fishing grounds. There are around 600,000 Filipino fishers from Zambales and Southern Tagalog provinces affected by Chinese incursion. In Zambales, for instance, 70 percent of daily income of a fisherfolk has been lost since China seized Panatag Shoal in 2012,” Arambulo added.
Rafael Mariano, leader of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said
the pronouncement to suspend land amortization payments and the condonation of existing amortization balance is welcome but long overdue.
“An executive order declaring a moratorium on the conversion of agricultural and agrarian reform lands, especially those devoted to food production, could have countered this. Instead, Marcos Jr. promoted the National Land Use Act, which will remove agriculture as a distinct land-use classification, enabling more land-use conversion. This plays into his continued support for the grand infrastructure program of his administration,” Mariano warned.
KMP also highlighted that the President did not mention any planned review or repeal of the Rice Tariffication Law, adding they will further review and critique Marcos’ SONA as farmers continue to press for doable programs in the first 100 days of his administration.
