BURGOS, Ilocos Norte—Presidential aspirant Senator Grace Poe stopped by the home province of the late President Ferdinand Marcos and cited his accomplishments in building infrastructure, saying a duplication would lead to job creation.
“Give credit where credit is due,” Poe said.
“When it comes to infrastructure, many were done during the time of the late President Marcos. I believe that if we will do that kind of priority, we can give jobs to many people.”
Poe also visited the Burgos Wind Farm that was started by vice presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. when he was governor of the province.
Describing it as “iconic,” Poe said the farm could be a good source of renewable energy.
Senator Francis Escudero, Poe’s running mate, was not with her when she campaigned in Ilocos Norte, a known bailiwick of the Marcoses.
Poe was warmly welcomed by Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, the elder sister of Marcos Jr.
Asked on the support she is giving to Poe, who is a rival of her younger brother’s presidential bet Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Imee said “she’s strong here because FPJ [Fernando Poe Jr., Poe’s adoptive father] was well-loved.”
“There are groups who are for Grace and there are groups for other presidentiables, but they are all free to campaign here,’’ Imee said.
When questioned who she would endorse, Imee said she didn’t know and laughed.
Meanwhile, 11 mayors from Ilocos Sur showed up during the mini-rally of Partido Galing at Puso led by Poe held at the Vigan City Convention Center.
Ilocos Sur Gov. Ryan Singson and Rep. Ronald Singson also attended the rally that saw the presence of around 500 local officials and thousands of Ilocanos.
Poe was joined by Escudero when she proceeded to Isabela after the Vigan rally.
With many of the country’s farmers reaching retirement age, Poe is looking to providing seed money to young farmers and new graduates to encourage the youth to go into modern farming.
The average age of farmers and fishermen in the Philippines is 57, a cause for alarm as the country struggles to achieve food security.
Isabela is the country’s top corn producer hosting Asia’s largest post-harvest corn processing facility. It is also the second biggest rice producer with a rice sufficiency rate of 224 percent.
Poe said the government should raise a new generation not just of farmers but of agri-preneurs who would be able to employ modern technology and develop new agriculture models that could boost productivity.
Poe said she will push for the enactment of Senate Bill 1282, which she authored and which would institutionalize a scholarship program for high school graduates interested to pursue careers in agriculture.
“This is one way to entice the youth to transition from job seekers to job providers while boosting the rural economy and ensuring food sufficiency,” Poe said.