MikeLigalig.com

by Angeline Valencia

Bohol Rep. Erico Aumentado (2nd District) filed Monday a bill providing subsidies for hybrid rice and corn planters all over the country for farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers.

Aumentado thought of replicating to the entire country his pilot pet projects in his district, as a way to attain rice and corn self-sufficiency for the Philippines in support of the Aquino administration’s food security program-–and in the process, become an exporter of the commodities.

Aumentado cited the success in his district, anchored on the experience during the Marcos presidency when the Philippines, with then Executive Sec. Rafael Salas and Agriculture Sec. Arturo Tangco as spearheads -- succeeded to become rice and corn self sufficient and an exporter to neighboring countries.

"The government succeeded because of its programs on Masagana 99 for rice and Masagana 55 for corn, and subsidy given to the farmers," according to Aumentado.

The subsidy Aumentado proposes consists of hybrid rice and corn seeds, fertilizer, insecticides and post harvest facilities.

"This way, the Filipino rice and corn farmers can compete globally. The strategy is a paradigm shift from the present trend of importing rice and corn from producers abroad thereby indirectly subsidizing foreign farmers instead of the Filipinos engaged in the same rice and corn production," Aumentado pointed out.

In the bill's explanatory note, Aumentado emphasized that subsidizing and strengthening the Filipino farmers can rapidly increase the economic multiplier effects of the program, making the agriculture sector a major player in increasing the gross domestic product of the country, and open more windows of opportunity for the Philippines to attain the coveted investment grade by Standard and Poor Fitch Rating Service and Moody’s Investors Service.

"The amount needed for the purpose shall be charged against the current budget of the Dept. of Agriculture and, thereafter, to the regular annual appropriations to ensure continuity.

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