ILOILO – Agriculture will be given priority by Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson and Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III if they are elected president and vice president, respectively.
“We are ready. We are prepared to address the concerns of farmers not only in Negros Island but in the whole country,” said Lacson during a virtual presser with the Western Visayas media.
Lacson cited the importance of national government intervention to help farmers.
One of his proposals is for the government to buy at least 50 percent of the output of farmers at farm-gate prices.
Lacson also noted the need to fully irrigate farms. Of the over three million irrigable farmlands in the country, he said, around 1.1 million hectares are still not irrigated.
In the present situation, Lacson said, the government’s intervention can come especially in areas hit by super typhoon “Odette” like in Negros Island’s southern portion.
The calamity funds can be used to help farmers, especially now that fertilizers are expensive.
“Naglalagak taon-taon sa General Appropriations Act ng calamity fund. I think our farmers through the media should sound off (their proposals) to local government units and to the national government,” said Lacson.
For his part, Sotto said their agriculture program is wellresearched and planned.
“Sa aming administrasyon siguradong libre at matutulongan sila because we believe agriculture is the backbone of the economy,” said Sotto.
“Kami hindi lang motherhood statements na ‘tulongan yung magsasaka, tulongan ang agrikultura.’ Wala. Puro porma lang yun. Kami may program talaga paano ang gagawin at kayang-kaya ng budget ng gobyerno,” he said.
The program of Lacson-Sotto is backed by former Philippine National Police chief Guillermo Eleazar who is running for senator under the Lacson-Sotto slate./PN
