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Marcos: Huge task ahead as PH's agri system still needs fixing

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Job Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Farmers in Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos, Bulacan plant seedlings in their farm lots at the start of the second planting season Thursday, September 14, 2023. Maria Tan ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/10/25/20230914-rice-planting-malolos-mt-20.jpg"/><figcaption>Farmers in Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos, Bulacan plant seedlings in their farm lots at the start of the second planting season Thursday, September 14, 2023. <em>Maria Tan ABS-CBN News</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA — President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., who has been handling the agriculture portfolio for <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/20/22/marcos-to-head-department-of-agriculture">more than a year</a>, said Wednesday that a lot of work still needs to be done to fix agriculture in the Philippines.</p><p>He said that the country&#x27;s agriculture sector had been neglected for decades as he referenced his father and namesake&#x27;s agrarian reform program in the 1970s.</p><p>During his speech at the 70th anniversary of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) in Quezon City, Marcos Jr said that while boosting productivity is important, the welfare of farmers and fisherfolk must not be forgotten. </p><p>Farm output declined by 1.3 percent in the second quarter of 2023, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority, which said productivity was pulled down by a 14.2-percent decline in production in the fisheries sector.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/12/23/marcos-jrs-birthday-wish-a-fixed-agri-sector">Marcos Jr&#x27;s birthday wish? A &#x27;fixed&#x27; agri sector</a></li></ul><p>The minimum wage for agricultural workers in the Philippines ranges from P306 in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao to P573 in the National Capital Region. Wages, which are set by tripartite boards, vary per region.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/24/23/minimum-wages-in-ilocos-western-visayas-up-in-november">Minimum wages in Ilocos, Western Visayas up in November</a></li></ul><p>&quot;Huwag nating kakalimutan na dapat naman na ang hanapbuhay ng ating mga magsasaka at ating mga mangingisda ay mapangalagaan at mapaganda dahil &#x27;yan ang hangarin nating lahat sa ating mga magsasaka at ating mangingisda.&quot; he said.</p><p>(Let us not forget that we have to ensure and improve the livelihoods of our farmers and fishers because that is our goal for them.)</p><p>He also said that government will need the farming sector&#x27;s help to do that.</p><p>&quot;Ito ay napakalaking trabaho kaya kailangan natin — hindi kaya ng pamahalaan na nag-iisa na gagawin lahat ito — Kaya kailangan natin ng tulong ninyo. Kailangan namin ng sipag niyo, kailangan namin ng advice ninyo. &quot;</p><p>(This is such a huge task and the government cannot do it alone. That is why we need your help. We need your hard work. We need your advice.)</p><p>Marcos said his government is drumming up the growth of the agricultural sector &quot;with great urgency,&quot; with over P92 billion earmarked next year to implement projects for agri-fisheries. </p><p>The Department of Agriculture has also allocated P4.73 billion as investments for large-scale agriculture and fishery mechanization and modernization, he said. </p><p>This will help, he said, reduce post-harvest losses and maximize farmers&#x27; yields &quot;at an affordable cost.&quot; </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/05/23/inflation-quickens-in-september-to-61-percent">Inflation quickens in September to 6.1 percent despite rice price cap</a></li></ul><div><strong>Input from farmers, fishers needed</strong></div><p>But these projects alone will not help the government to address agricultural issues, which was why Marcos urged the farmers&#x27; organization to give them feedback on what more they could do. </p><p>&quot;Asahan niyo, ang inyong gobyerno ay nandito upang gawin ang lahat upang tulungan ang ating magsasaka na makapag-produce ng magandang ani, makapangisda ng sapat para sa ating mga kababayan, at maipagbili naman ito sa presyo na abot kaya ng ating mga mamamayan,&quot; he said. </p><p>(I assure you, the government is here to do everything to help our farmers produce good harvests, catch enough fish for our people and sell the produce at affordable prices.)</p><p>The Philippines recently experienced a spike of rice prices, prompting the government to mandate a rice price ceiling on two varieties of the grain. </p><p>Officials and stakeholders have also warned of <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/18/23/imf-israel-hamas-war-may-lead-to-higher-inflation">continuing high food prices</a> amid the ongoing war in Ukraine and the battle between Israel and Hamas militants. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/10/10/23/da-israel-hamas-conflict-will-have-minimal-effect-on-ph-agriculture">DA: Israel-Hamas conflict will have &#x27;minimal effect&#x27; on PH agriculture</a></li></ul><p>The President recently approved the trade department&#x27;s three-year <a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/08/30/23/marcos-oks-plan-to-revolutionize-food-distribution">food logistics action agenda</a>, which presented measures to curb hoarding, smuggling, and overstaying food imports, as well as boost monitoring of warehouses and cold storage facilities. </p><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2854368" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div><div style="text-align:center"><em><strong>Video from RTVM</strong></em></div>

President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. on Wednesday said a huge task still lies ahead as the Philippine agricultural system still needs to be fixed, adding that farmers' needs should be prioritized in the process. 

Marcos: Huge task ahead as PH's agri system still needs fixing

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Marcos: Huge task ahead as PH's agri system still needs fixing

Job Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 25, 2023 11:35 AM PHT

|

Updated Oct 25, 2023 03:23 PM PHT

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agriculture

FFF

Federation of Free Farmers

farming

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

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