THE VOTERS have spoken. They elected Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. as the 17th President of the Philippines on the promise of bringing about pagkakaisa (unity). In his first official speech as Chief Executive yesterday, he chose not to focus on the past, saying “we do not look back, but ahead.”
“I am here not to talk about the past, I am here to tell you about our future. A future of sufficiency, even plenty of readily available ways and means to get done what needs doing. By you, by me.”
It is good that the President immediately addressed the most pressing concern today – sufficiency. Or the lack of it. Particularly of food. There’s a projected shortage in the later part of 2022. He recently said he would be heading the Department of Agriculture himself, indicating that he takes the concern very seriously.
Indeed, the President said in his inaugural speech: “You picked me to be your servant, to enable changes to benefit all. I fully understand the gravity of the responsibility that you’ve put on my shoulders. I do not take it lightly, but I am ready for the task.”
The grim growth data of the agriculture sector requires drastic steps from the government if it wanted to lick poverty. Recent official figures showed that the industry hardly grew. If we look deeper into the contribution of the agriculture sector, it is dismaying to note that it had nothing to add to the economic growth.
The situation should make us stop, think seriously and prepare to act with the larger picture in mind. Note that the agriculture sector has 28 percent of the country’s employed labor force as opposed to the sectors of services at 55.5 and industry at 16.5 percent.
Significantly, the agricultural sector accounts for 60 percent of the country’s poor. The government must understand sincerely that poverty is alarmingly and significantly felt by the agriculture sector.
Among the major programs that the agriculture department must focus on are irrigation, farm-to-market roads, assorted fishery infrastructure, farm mechanization, support activities to boost rice production, and coconut production.
Unless, we grow meaningfully and substantially in the agricultural sector, the government’s programs on poverty alleviation will remain unappreciated.
President Marcos Jr. has his work cut out for him.
