Ex-DA chief tells government to focus on farmers’ productivity

Local

AS the P20-per-kilo rice initiative gains ground as a major government program, former Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, now running for a congressional seat, said the Department of Agriculture should also prioritize boosting farmers’ productivity to sustain the effort.

In a press conference with Cebu media on Friday, May 1,, Yap said he understands the intent behind the initiative, which was a key campaign promise of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr., but stressed that addressing supply issues is more critical to lowering prices.

"They want to lower prices and what's more important is increasing the supply. It is like power, if limited ang supply ng power, magpibilin og taas, in the same way, kung magpabilin ang supply sa rice nga limited... the price will remain (It's like power—if the supply of power is limited, prices will stay high. In the same way, if the supply of rice remains limited, the price will also remain)," he said.

He reiterated that the focus should be on developing and expanding the agricultural sector.

Yap, first nominee of the Murang Kuryente Partylist, also asserted that the Department of Trade and Industry should take the lead in implementing rice-selling policies to ensure "consumer protection."

PBBM rice

The Department of Agriculture launched the P20-per-kilo rice program in the Visayas on May 1, fulfilling President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 2022 campaign promise.

Cebu began selling earlier on April 28 through its Sugbo Merkadong Barato (SMB) program, which targets around 300,000 beneficiaries, including barangay workers, teachers, and farmers.

Each beneficiary may purchase up to 10 kilos weekly, requiring about 240,000 sacks of rice monthly.

The DA adopted Cebu’s SMB model for national rollout after Governor Gwendolyn Garcia’s meeting with Marcos, with rice bought at P33 per kilo and subsidized by the national and local governments.

The Visayas was chosen as the pilot due to sufficient stock and strong local coordination.

Cheap electricity

The former Bohol governor is making rounds in Cebu as the campaign season nears its final stretch.

He said their partylist seeks to ease the burden of high electricity costs by promoting renewable energy and revisiting the potential use of nuclear power in the country.(MyTVCebu)