Presidential aspirant and Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso on Friday, said he was committed to creating a medium and long-term plan and fund to boost the country’s agricultural sector if he wins the upcoming election.
"High time naman na yung mga ahensya ng gobyerno makapagplano ng dire-diretso because ang funding nila garantisado. It's a five-year plan and 10-year plan. Di tayo year on year lang magpaplano (It is high time that government agencies to plan directly because their funding is guaranteed. It's a five-year plan and 10-year plan. We should not just plan year on year),” he said during the Halalan 2022 Para sa Agrikultura dialogue at the Manila City Hall on Friday.
"Magkakaroon ng kapantagan yung mga magsasaka at yung mga mangingisda sa industriya ng agrikultura in the next 5 years or in the next 10 years. Ito yung pupuntahan kong journey. Di na siya aasa na every year, hihingi ng pondo o maglolobby ng pondo (Farmers and fishermen will gain a certainty in the agricultural industry in the next fiver years or in the next 10 years. This is the journey I am going on. He will no longer expect that every year, he will ask for funds or lobby for funds)," he added.
Through this, Domagoso believes it will also draw in investors in the agricultural sector.
“If it’s certain, investors will come it. We need investors in agriculture,” he said.
The Manila mayor also reiterated that the national government should prioritize food security, especially during this time of pandemic.
"I think this pandemic taught us a very good lesson on how we should give much attention to food security. And it’s high time for us na magising ang liderato ng mga ahensya ng gobyerno na pagtuunan ito ng pansin (wake up the leadership of government agencies to focus on it)," he said.
Also present during the dialogue were Alyansa Agrikultura Chair Ernesto Ordoñez, Federation of Free Farmers Chair Leonardo Montemayor, Chamber of Agriculture and Food President Danilo Fausto, Coalition for Agriculture Modernization in the Philippines Chair Emil Javier, and Bayan sa Agricultura Coordinator Hazel Tanchuling.