Solons urge early release of Mindanao’s 30% budget to fast-track agri projects

MANILA, Philippines - To jumpstart the transformation of Mindanao as the country’s food basket, congressmen led by House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles, on Friday called on the Department of Budget for the early release of Mindanao’s 30% share of lump-sum funds in the P1.227 trillion national budget this year. He said the national budget for 2008 includes a provision earmarking 30% of lump-sum funds for Mindanao on top of the P121 billion specifically allocated for Mindanao’s six regions in the 2008 budget. Mr. Nograles said that while the reports of a looming food shortage is "exaggerated," soaring prices of various food products is getting "out of control." "The only way to stabilize the prices of food products is to increase production by maximizing Mindanao’s potential as an agricultural hub," Mr. Nograles said in a press statement. The budgetary provision for Mindanao was committed by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo upon the recommendation of Mindanao congressmen, led by Mr. Nograles, then a Majority leader, during the deliberation of the 2008 General Appropriations Act (GAA). "We have no time to spare. We should really start working to realize our vision of turning Mindanao as the country’s center for food production," Mr. Nograles said. Mindanao Representatives Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr. (2nd District, Davao del Norte), Jose S. Aquino (1st District,Agusan del Norte), Rodolfo G. Plaza (lone district, Agusan del Sur), Marc Douglas C. Cagas IV (1st District, Davao del Sur), Arrel R. Olano (1st District,Davao del Norte) and Munir M. Arbison (2nd District, Sulu) echoed Mr. Nograles’ call as they pointed out that the additional funds can be used to unlock Mindanao’s full potential as a food basket. "In 2005, Gross Regional Domestic Product was already about P900 billion, of which P280 billion came from agriculture. The potential is there because only 290,000 hectares or one out of 35 of the island’s 10.2 million hectares are serviced by irrigation," Mr. Lagdameo said in a separate statement. Mr. Aquino on the other hand said that despite low irrigation reach, Mindanao was able to produce a combined 6.6 million metric tons of rice and corn in 2005. "We are also producing nine million metric tons of copra a year and our output of 1.8 million metric tons of fish annually are more than enough for the needs of 22 million Mindanaoans," Mr. Aquino said. He said that Mindanao, which is outside the typhoon-zone, has a climate conducive for agriculture and has an annual rainfall that is more than the national average. "Our roads and other infrastructure don’t get destroyed by typhoons so often, so physical investments made in Mindanao last longer and are more durable," Mr. Aquino pointed out. He added that Mindanao has an "army of 4.1 million" workers in agriculture "who are on standby and are more than willing to do their share in attaining food security for the whole country if given the right support and incentive by the government." - BusinessWorld