The Philippines is an agricultural country with lush greenery, cultivated fields, and rich aquatic ecosystems. Under the country’s agricultural sector are four sub-sectors: farming, fisheries, livestock, and forestry, which employ 39.8 percent of the labor force and contribute around 20 percent of GDP.
Given the country’s rich agricultural resources, it is befuddling that the Department of Agriculture proposed the importance of rice and galunggong from other Asian countries. We know that rice and galunggong are staples in every Filipino family’s dining table. According to Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, the proposed importation will address the “very limited” supply of rice and fish in the southern provinces of the country. The said shortage is reportedly being experienced in several provinces in Mindanao, where rice already costs about a hundred pesos per kilogram.
While I feel the plight of my fellow Filipinos experiencing food shortage, I cannot help but question the way the government, particularly the Agriculture Department, is handling this matter. There seems to be a disconnect in the planning and execution of programs that would address the food security concerns of our country.
I believe that importation of rice and galunggong is not the sole solution in addressing food shortage, as this will only put further strain on our country’s agricultural sector. The importation of rice and galunggong will encourage further importation of other agricultural products. This course of action will surely reduce the prices of rice and fish, inducing competition in the market, at the costly expense of our local farmers and fishermen.
I call on DA to review its budget allocation on its programs and ensure a more efficient spending. I hope this is not a case of, “when there is importation, there is commission.” Instead of allocating funds to the importation of such locally grown food staples, the DA should invest in the subsidy of our local farmers and fishermen. Let us take European countries as an example. Their governments put heavy subsidy on their agricultural sector with an end goal of establishing self-sufficiency. It would be better if the DA would compute its expenses on the importation and compare it with the amount needed to subsidize locally grown rice and other agricultural produce. Maybe it would be better to spend a substantial amount in research and development of rice, crops, fisheries, and other aquatic resources, and in providing adequate protection to our farmers and fishermen, to provide them stable livelihood and help them rise above poverty. I see this as a more effective step in securing long-term solutions to food shortage.
The Unisan Fish Hatchery is a test case for improving the fisheries and aquatic resources of our country. I encourage the DA and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources to explore this facility and check on the possibility of sharing this practice to rest of the country. Furthermore, they should invest in developing local know-how, specifically on cultivating the high-value fish and aquatic products for export.
The House Minority group, comprised of party-list members who represent and protect the interests of various agricultural sectors, will be vigilant and proactive in addressing the proposal of the DA. We believe it puts the sector in a vulnerable position.
