FPJ Panday Bayanihan party-list Rep. Brian Poe has called for greater investment in irrigation and agricultural infrastructure in Mindoro, citing the province’s “untapped potentials” to become a major food basket of Luzon and Visayas.
During the recent congressional budget deliberations, Poe who is also vice chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, asked the Department of Agriculture to provide updates on ongoing and planned projects that would support Mindoro’s farmers and fisherfolk.
He underscored that while the province is rich in natural resources and has fertile lands, the lack of irrigation and post-harvest support facilities has prevented it from fully realizing its agricultural capacity.
“Mindoro is very near Luzon and Visayas, and it has the resources to produce food for millions of Filipinos. But right now, irrigation is still limited, and many farmers depend on rain-fed production. If we truly want Mindoro to be the food basket of the Philippines, we must add more irrigation projects and strengthen storage, milling, and processing facilities,” he said.
