Deliver needed farm equipment, post -harvest facilities to ‘food security soldiers’–lawmaker
A lawmaker on Sunday urged the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) to efficiently use their budget to address the lack of farm equipment and post-harvest facilities to increase agricultural workers’ production and address soaring food prices.
“Sa pag-iikot ko sa ating bansa, isa po sa laging pinoproblema ng ating cooperatives and farmers ang farm equipment and mechanization.
Bukod sa on-time na pagdating ng ayuda para sa farm inputs, ito ang pinakahinihintay nila para pataasin ang kanilang produksyon at kita,” lamented AGRI Rep. Wilbert T. Lee.
“Mahigit P8 bilyon ang natirang budget mula sa 2022, mula sa appropriations ngayong 2023, at meron pang pondo galing sa RCEF.
Sa ilang buwan na lang, magbibigay na naman ng pondo sa PhilMech galing sa RCEF, an additional of about P5 billion; so mga P13 billion po lahat yan,” said the solon during the 2024 budget briefing of the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Aug. 22.
During the budget briefing, Lee asked for PhilMech Director Dr. Dionisio Alvindia’s commitment to finish their pending deliverables and provide more support to post-harvest facilities before the end of this year, to which the latter agreed and committed to implement.
“I would like to ask for a strong commitment from the PhilMech Director to deliver these services, para malaman natin kung kailan talaga makakarating sa end users o sa ating mga magsasaka ang mga kinakailangan nilang serbisyo at mga kagamitan. Bago po ito maipasa sa plenary, dapat maayos muna natin ito,” said Lee.
In response, Dionisio said: “We are making a strong commitment to finish that, P8 billion po this year.”
According to the Bicolano lawmaker, “Our farmers and fisherfolk are our food security soldiers in our war against hunger; paano sila lalaban kung wala silang bala?
Malaking kasalanan na natetengga ang bilyon-bilyong budget na nandyan na at dapat ay napapakinabangan na ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Hindi natin pwedeng hayaan na sa susunod na taon, ganito na naman ang mangyayari,” explained Lee.
This 19th Congress, Lee filed House Bill No. 3958 or the “Post-Harvest Facilities Support Act” compelling the government to construct and provide post-harvest facilities across the country, especially in agricultural areas, to lower post-harvest production losses and increase the income of agriculture workers.
