Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. vowed that the Department of Agriculture (DA) will continue to deliver transformative interventions for a food-secure Philippines as he thanked President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr. for prioritizing the needs of the country’s farmers and fisherfolk.

“Our President is on top of the situation in agriculture. Inuna nga niya ito sa kanyang State of the Nation Address (SONA) at saka iyong detalye at laman ng kanyang mensahe shows clearly na ang isip niya ay nasa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” the agri chief said during the 2024 Post-SONA Discussions on Food Security and Economic Development held July 23, 2024.

The session convened key cabinet members to discuss critical issues on food security and economic development, collaborative solutions, and alignment of strategies with the administration’s priorities.

During his third SONA, President Marcos highlighted the need to lower the prices of rice and important commodities by prioritizing and improving local production, supporting the agri-fishery sector from planting and harvesting to transport and marketing, and minimizing losses.

“Mga kababayan, sa lahat ng ginagawa nating ito at mga gagawin pa, mataas ang aking kumpiyansa na malalampasan din natin ang hamon na ating pinagdadaanan. Dahil ito ang pangunahing hinaing ng taumbayan, hindi tayo titigil sa paglalaban sa kahirapan, at sa paghahanap ng lunas upang maibalik sa normal ang presyo ng bilihin — lalo na ang bigas,” President Marcos said.

Secretary Laurel said the President’s support to the agri-fishery sector is important as the DA focuses on implementing key projects for a modernized, productive, efficient, and climate-resilient sector. He also thanked the President for the additional 30 percent yearly appropriation to the DA since 2022.

“Makakaasa po kayo sa pamamagitan ng pondong nilaan sa ating kagawaran ay maipagpapatuloy natin ang mga programa at proyekto para sa pagpapaunlad ng ating sektor kagaya na lamang ng pagpapalakas at pagpapataas ng lokal na produksyon, pag-construct at pagsasaayos ng mga farm-to-market roads, pagtatayo ng mga karagdagang irigasyon, pag-develop ng ating mga fish ports at iba pang proyektong naglalayong matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda upang mapabuti ang ating agricultural production,” he said.

He also shared the administration’s plan to level up the Kadiwa Program in the next three years by establishing 1,500 permanent stores nationwide to be operated by farmers/fisherfolk cooperatives. With a recently approved vaccine against the African swine fever (ASF), the DA plans to start hog vaccination in critical zones starting September this year.

“Sa sektor ng agrikultura, ika nga ng ating Pangulo, we mean serious business. Patuloy pong magsusumikap ang kagawarang ng agrikultura na magplano, magdisenyo, at magpatupad ng transformative interventions para gawing moderno at profitable ang ating mga sektor tungo sa adhikain ng masaganang bagong Pilipinas,” the secretary said.

With the whole of government approach and the participation of the private sector and partners  in development, he committed that the entire DA family will continue working hard to realize the President’s aspirations.

“Ang DA ay patuloy na makikiisa sa adhikain ng Pangulo na walang magugutom sa Bagong Pilipinas. Ito ay patuloy na isasagawa ng ating Kagawaran sa pamamgitan ng pagsusulong ng mga nararapat na interventions at policies tungo sa masaganang agrikultura at maunlad na ekonomiya,” the agri chief said. ### (Gumamela Celes Bejarin, DA-AFID)