A fishers group has expressed disappointment on President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.'s (PBBM) absence for this year's celebration of World Food Day, saying that skipping such an important event reflects "insincerity to address the ongoing food crisis" in the country.
In a statement sent to the Manila Bulletin, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) said Marcos, the current Department of Agriculture (DA) chief, just skipped a significant event for the food sector and it is "very telling of him as an agriculture secretary".
“Marcos Jr skipping the significant World Food Day event is very telling of him as an agriculture secretary—insincere to address the ongoing food crisis in the country," the group said.
"While fishers, farmers, and food security advocates are all hands on deck to commemorate this occasion in various ways, Marcos Jr. busied himself with different things which were obviously irrelevant to the interests of the rural sectors," it added.
Pamalakaya noted, as well, that it expects the president who also leads the agriculture department to heed the calls of fisherfolk and farmers.
"There is an ongoing production crisis in agriculture and fisheries courtesy of inflation of basic commodities, primarily fuel. And we expect the President, which is also a concurrent DA Secretary, to heed the calls of fishers and farmers for a significant government support to the marginalized rural sectors,” it expressed.
It can be recalled that according to the initial program for the World Food Day event, Marcos was scheduled to grace the event by being the keynote speaker and by leading the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the World Food Day Exhibit and DA Tiangge.
"Hindi po matutuloy na dumating si PBBM sa DA World Food Day Celebration mamayang 3 p.m. sa DA Grounds... may conflict po sa schedule ni PBBM (PBBM will not be able to attend the DA World Food Day Celebration at 3 p.m. at the DA grounds... he has a conflict of schedule),” a representative of the DA told reporters in a Viber group.
Every year on October 16th, people all around the world observe World Food Day to remember the day the United Nations (UN) Food and Agriculture Organization was established in 1945.
This year's celebration centered on the theme, “Leave no one behind, through better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.” To note, many other organizations concerned with hunger and food security, including the World Food Programme, the World Health Organization, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development, observe the World Food Day.
In earlier interviews, Marcos assured the public that he has been prioritizing agriculture ever since the start of his term.
“The strengthening of the agricultural sector is the strengthening of survival, the strengthening of life. And that is how important we have always considered the agricultural sector. And that is why I took on the portfolio,” the chief executive said during the opening of Agrilink/Foodlink/Aqualink Trade Fairs 2022 last October 6.
“As soon as I took office as President, I decided to take on the portfolio of the Secretary of Agriculture, not only to highlight the importance with which this administration puts on the agricultural sector but also to accelerate the development of that value chain. The strengthening of all our services that we give to our people in terms of food production, in terms of food supply, and our efforts to keep all our food products, all our agricultural commodities at a price that ordinary citizens can afford,” he continued.