Aksyon Demokratiko standard bearer and Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno on Friday said he will pursue a medium and long-term plan and fund to boost the country’s agricultural sector.
During a dialogue with agriculture advocates at the Manila City Hall, Moreno said adopting a different planning approach for the sector will pave the way for certainty among farmers and fisherfolk.
“The national government should prioritize food security, given the food crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.”
“High time naman na yung mga ahensya ng gobyerno makapagplano ng dire-diretso because ang funding nila garantisado. It’s a 5-year plan and 10-year plan. Di tayo year on year lang magpaplano,” he said.
“Magkakaroon ng kapantagan yung mga magsasaka at yung mga mangingisda sa industriya ng agrikultura in the next 5 years or in the next 10 years. Ito yung pupuntahan kong journey. Di na siya aasa na every year, hihingi ng pondo o maglolobby ng pondo,” he added.
The 47-year-old presidential aspirant said the certainty of support for the agricultural sector will draw in investors.
“If it’s certain, investors will come at it. We need investors in agriculture,” he said.
Moreno in previous speeches said he plans to support the construction of agricultural infrastructure, temper rice imports through stringent regulations on crop quality, initiate a widespread crackdown on smuggling, and impose a 2 to 3-year moratorium on land conversion.
The 47-year-old presidential aspirant said the certainty of support for the agricultural sector will draw in investors.
He explained that the national government should prioritize food security, given the food crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think this pandemic taught us a very good lesson on how we should give much attention to food security. And it’s high time for us na magising ang liderato ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno na pagtuunan ito ng pansin,” he said.
The Halalan 2022 Para sa Agrikultura dialogue was attended by Alyansa Agrikultura chair Ernesto Ordoñez, Federation of Free Farmers chair Leonardo Montemayor, Chamber of Agriculture and Food president Danilo Fausto, Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines chair Emil Javier, and Bayan sa Agricultura coordinator Hazel Tanchuling.
