It’s a pity how corrupt public officials have served as the primary obstacle in the government’s effort to eradicate illegal drug trade and use in the country.
Last week at a hearing of the House committee on dangerous drugs and the committee on good government, it was established that there was collusion among unscrupulous officials and employees from at least three government agencies, with the help of the private sector, as they allegedly manipulated and allowed the entry of supposed P6.8 billion shabu shipment into the country.
Ironically, they reportedly came from the agencies supposed to protect us from the menace of illegal drugs – the Philippine National Police, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Bureau of Customs.
The public hearing showed how the intelligence information on the shipment was leaked to certain individuals.
The two houses of Congress are currently conducting an investigation on the drug shipment containing four magnetic lifters packed with shabu that was able to come out of the BOC’s Manila International Container Port (MICP).
A BOC official who requested anonymity said that drug shipment could enter the country through different ports, not just the MICP, as long as there was connivance among individuals handling the ports.
Unfortunately, this official said that with the collusion of these public officials, men of good character are being subjected to public ridicule.
It is hoped the findings of the House committees and the Senate blue ribbon committee will give justice to those who were not involved in the supposed drug shipment and severely punish those who were responsible for it, as we hope to reinvigorate the government’s effort to lead the country in fighting the evil of illegal drugs.
* * *
With the seeming shortage on rice and other agricultural products, aggravated by the highest inflation in years, a multi-sectoral group is organizing a food summit in support of the government’s food program.
According to Jerry Pelayo, former mayor of Candaba, Pampanga, one of the lead convenors of the Filipino Sama Ka Dito, the summit is their way of supporting the government in addressing the issue of rice shortage and rising prices of basic commodities.
Pelayo, who was responsible for the radical the 14-year old Farm-Fresh 25, inside the Clark Economic Zone (“25” because the farm produce is sold for 25 percent less than the price outside), which is managed by not by traders but by farmers and duck and poultry raisers, is supported by former Agriculture Secretary William Dar and UP Chancellor Ray Velasco.
Honorio Soriano, Jr., president of Pampanga State Agricultural University, has even opened the campus facilities for the event slated tentatively for the third week of October.
According to the former mayor, they are targeting the participations of all those who have a stake in agriculture and aquaculture including those involved in deep-sea and fresh-water fishing, piggery and poultry raising, vegetable farming, rice and cereal farming, traders and even the academe, particularly the state agricultural colleges.
“There have been summits like this conducted before but the academe has never participated. We need them as we try to address the problems of the farmers and the fisherfolk,” said Pelayo.
While the common problem for farmers are flooding and landslide, the more pressing ones are the availability of machineries and equipment and the lack of funds, thus the tendency for them to fall victim to loan sharks. Some farmers are prone to mortgaging future harvests for extravagant fiesta celebrations and even to fund their vices like cockfighting. These are what Pelayos’ group intends to address by providing farmers with management skills.
It is common knowledge the government, since time immemorial, has been supporting the agricultural sector through subsidies.
The problem however lies in how those funds were managed.
During the time of former President Ferdinand Marcos, the government initiated a program dubbed as Masagana 99, which was then successful in increasing rice production. This however, was not sustained after a change of government occurred in 1986.
The government, whoever is at the helm of power, has supported the sector by subsidizing fertilizer, pesticide and seedlings, and acquiring tractors, harvesters and other equipment for the use of our farmers. But the question remains—what were the results? Why does the country, blessed with the most suitable weather for agriculture, remain dependent on importation?
Additionally, Pelayo said they believe the government should consider the idea of increasing the fund for purchasing palay and increase its buying price for palay to compete with private traders, starting with utilizing the barangays as buying stations.
The Filipino Sama Ka Dito convenor added that the government should also educate farmers and others involved in the agriculture and aquaculture industry on the effects of climate change, tunnel vents and greenhouses effect on hog-raising, provide facilities for processing and cold storage for hog, poultry and duck raisers, and feedmill support for those in the aquaculture sector.
Here’s hoping for the success of Pelayo’s group and others, especially the government, as we look forward to self-sufficiency food production in the future.
