Bataan Rep. Geraldine Roman on Thursday cited the need for Congress to enact a law that aims to provide solutions to the worsening condition of farmers and fishermen.
Speaking at a consultative assembly with stakeholders in the province, Roman appealed to her fellow legislators to support her House Bill 5601 or Magna Carta for Agricultural Workers.
Citing a survey conducted by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Roman revealed that farmers and fisher folk remain the poorest sector in the country.
Based on the 2021 poverty statistics of the PSA, fisher folk have the highest poverty rate with 30.6 percent, followed by farmers with 30 percent.
“By helping out the agrI workers, we make food security strong and if we have the produce, people can buy cheaper by patronizing our own agro products,” Roman said.
HB 5601 is currently pending at the Committee on Agriculture as of posting.
Under Roman’s bill, farmers and fishermen will be registered under the Kadiwa program that will also be beneficial to consumers by enabling them to buy vegetables and other produce at a lower price.
Roman pushes a concrete farm-to-market roadmap to ease the mobility of agricultural goods throughout the country.
A pricing scheme was also envisioned for the registered agricultural workers to prevent losses being incurred by the farmers and fishermen because of low prices set on their goods.
“Panahon na para gawin nating prayoridad na mapabuti ang sitwasyon ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda,” said Roman, chair of the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality.
“It is highly unacceptable that farmers and fisherfolk are still barely surviving despite us being considered as agricultural country,” she added.
Through this initiative, Roman said it will help the agricultural workers alleviate the poverty they are experiencing by providing a stable stream of income to their families, alongside improving the growth of the country’s economy and food security.