PH agriculture
WITH President Marcos in Malacanang, the way now appears to be clear at last for the government to succeed in improving the living conditions of farmers and fishermen.
It is public knowledge that farmers, fishers and other farm workers, who are mostly poverty-stricken, comprise the bulk of the country’s more than 110 million population.
The people cheered Marcos when he boomed during his maiden State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) that one of his priorities is the modernization of Philippine agriculture.
Various quarters, particularly the farmers and fishers themselves, agree that modernizing agriculture is the key to addressing the problems confronting the sector.
The Marcos government, which ends at 12 noon on June 30, 2028, is also expected to come up with measures, programs and initiatives aimed at attaining food security.
It cannot be denied that highly-enterprising traders, aided by unscrupulous public servants, continue to amass wealth at the expense of the millions of farmers and fishermen.
“Sila ‘yong mga negosyanteng namimili, sa napakababang halaga, ng mga ani at produkto ng mga kawawang magsasaka at mangingisda,” according to a son of a fisherman.
Today, our farmers and fishermen are hopeful the administration of President Marcos is determined to go after the “heartless middlemen, hoarders and profiteers.”
In our view, the new political leadership is committed to running after these “economic saboteurs” who exploit the weaknesses of our beleaguered agricultural workers.
Bilang na ang araw ng mga nagsasamantala sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda.
