Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan said the government should pool enough investment in the agriculture sector in order for the private sector to be inspired and follow suit.
According to the former food security secretary, the deepest pockets in the economy are the private sector, and the Philippine government should leverage on this for the agriculture sector in the country to flourish.
“We must remember that deepest pockets in any economy is the private sector — 20% lang ang contribution ng gobyerno sa GDP, 80% ay private sector.”
“Kailangan talagang palawigin ang investment sa agriculture. Kapag nakita ng private sector na ang gobyerno mismo ay tumataya sa sector ng agrikultura, maeengganyo rin silang tumaya,” Pangilinan said in a press briefing.
“We must remember that deepest pockets in any economy is the private sector — 20% lang ang contribution ng gobyerno sa GDP, 80% ay private sector,” Pangilinan said.
“Kinakailangan ma-inspire ang private sector na mamuhunan sa agriculture and the first signal is government itself going to invest more in agriculture,” he added.
Pangilinan, who also used to chair the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, further explained that investments coming both from the government and private sector will create jobs in the agriculture sector, thus strengthening food security in the country.
“[With] more investment of government and private sector in agriculture sector, then ‘yung job creation will follow. Mas madali mag-create ng jobs sa agriculture sector kaya kapag namuhunan ka sa agriculture sector, ‘yung job creation mas dadami,” he said.
“You also mobilize resources around farming organizations and communities so that these resources will level up our farmers’ capacity, our fisherfolks’ capacity dahil kinakailangan na ma-secure ang farmers at fisherfolks para ma-secure ang ating pagkain,” he added.
