DA should work with stakeholders to hit goals —SINAG leader

The Department of Agriculture (DA) needs to be in touch with the various stakeholders in the industry to move towards a direction that would be truly beneficial to the Filipinos, a leader of a farmers' group said.

In an episode of The Mangahas Interviews (TMI), Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura's (SINAG) chairperson Rosendo So was asked about possible solutions to make the agency more responsive.

"Communicate with our industry. 'Yung ginagawa ng mga tao sa DA mukhang hindi pareho sa direksyo ng Pangulo, puro importation when the President said na local production," So said.

The SINAG leader said importation will not take the country to the track of boosting production as it is hurting farmers who have to compete with relatively lower prices of products.

“Kung makita natin, ang rice ba nung lumaki yung import, dumami ba nagtanim dito sa ating bansa? Nabawasan, di ba?” he said.

“Hindi yun ang solution talaga, kung importation lang ang solusyon hindi na magpapasok ang ating local industry. Like yung sa baboy for example, yung lowering of tariffs, yung mga malalaking players opt to import nalang kesa mag-finance kesa mag-expand sa local. Yun ang problema natin,” he added.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., who currently sits as DA Secretary, should also have officials under him who will steer the department towards his goals of enhancing production.

In his trip to Switzerland for the World Economic Forum, Marcos had pushed for a boost in productivity in agriculture and fisheries, including through climate-resilient technologies, and promote production even in non-agricultural areas such as urban and vertical farming, and community gardening for subsistence supply.

"The food from the toil of our own hands is the food that will most nourish our bodies," Marcos had said.

Watch this episode of TMI to find out more about the discussion.—Sherylin Untalan/LDF, GMA Integrated News