Outgoing DA chief says Duterte admin must focus on irrigation

Outgoing Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said Thursday the incoming Agriculture chief should focus on irrigation and stay true to the target of achieving rice self-sufficiency.

"I would like to advice the incoming Agriculture secretary na bigyan po ng espesyal na pagtutok 'yung irrigation," Alcala told GMA News Online, following an interview on GMA News' "News to Go."

The major problem in the agriculture sector is the irrigation system.

Data from the National Irrigation Authority showed that 3.1 million hectares of the 10.3 million hectares of agriculture land is considered irrigable.

"Sa agriculture po talagang tubig, patubig naman po talaga ang kailangan," Alcala said.

The outgoing Cabinet official noted the Aquino administration has its own shortcomings when it comes to improving the irrigation system for framers.

As of December 2014, about 1.708 million hectares or 56.57 percent of the 3.1 million hectares have been developed for irrigation. But 1.311 million hectares remained undeveloped.

"'Yun pong mga pagkukulang ng aming administrasyon sa pagsusulong ng patubig ay sana po ay mapunuan," he said.

Alcala noted that during the Aquino administration the Philippines was able to achieve a 97-percent rice sufficiency. He said the incoming administration should go for 100 percent.

"Kasi when we started in 2010, 81 percent lang po ang sufficiency level, ngayon po inabot po natin 'yung 97 percent, so 16 percent po 'yung increment," he said.

Recommendations for Piñol

The outgoing official hopes that the incoming administration will look into the recommendations prepared by the Department of Agriculture on improving the sector.

The recommendations are part of the department's transition documents for President-elect Rodrigo Duterte's Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

"Ang lambing ko lang po sana sa kanila, kung pupuwede ay i-review po nilang mabuti 'yun pong papeles na aming ibibigay sa pagkat makakatulong po ito sa paggawa nila ng mga decisions," Alcala said.

"Ito po yung mga documents na i-tu-turn over natin sa kanila ay naglalaman po ng mga background na ginawa natin at 'yung mga (dapat) pong ituloy o i-a-advice po natin sa kanila para ituloy," Alcala added.

The recommendations were based on a thorough study, containing immediate and mid-term programs for the next administration to review. "We will never give them any advice na palagay po namin ay hindi tama," Alcala noted.

He did not specify the recommended programs.

"Sana maganda naman po 'yung review na kanilang gagawin. Meron naman pong malaking inaabante ang kagawaran ng pagsasaka for the past six years, Alcala noted.

"So ito po 'yung mga documents na i-tu-turn over natin sa kanila ay naglalaman po ng mga background na ginawa natin at yung mga (dapat) pong ituloy o i-a-advice po natin sa kanila para ituloy," he said.

In a separate interview on national television, incoming National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) chief Ernesto Pernia noted what ails the sector.

"Agriculture has been neglected so it is time to balance economic growth in Metro Manila, CALBARZON and Mindanao. In Mindanao, definitely there will be a bias in agriculture in Mindanao."

Pernia noted the incoming administration will focus on investing in agriculture infrastructure.

According to the new  NEDA chief, one of the eight-point economic agenda of Duterte administration is regional and rural development.

"We are going to push public-private partnership projects in the regions where poverty is concentrated. Agriculture pojects like irrigation and farm-to-market roads will be prioritized," Pernia added. – VDS, GMA news