Presidential candidate Senator Panfilo Lacson on Saturday, Feb. 12 said that a Lacson presidency would seek to improve Mindanao’s agriculture sector through research and development (R&D) and irrigation.

After staging rallies in Davao del Norte in southern Mindanao yesterday, Lacson told DZRH radio that his specific agenda for Mindanao, dubbed as the country’s "food basket", is agriculture.

Lacson said the implementation of his Free Irrigation Act should be followed up as the country has more than one million hectares still in need of irrigation.

This should be supported by a strong R&D that would also focus on the banana industry as plantations face potential pests.

The Davao region recorded the highest share of 36.8 percent to the total banana production, followed by Northern Mindanao and SOCCSKSARGEN with 22.7 percent and 12.7 percent , respectively.

Banana production in 2020 accounted for 9.06 tons planted in 447,900 hectares.

Lacson, chairman of Partido Reporma, lamented that only 0.4 percent of the Philippine gross domestic product (GDP) goes to R&D.

‘’Kailangan may umbrella na nagmomonitor para ma-consolidate ang effort ng ating mga scientists para may programa tayo sa inventors para di sila umaalis ng PH magtatrabaho nare-recruit sa ibang bansa (There is a need for an umbrella to monitor and consolidate efforts of our scientists so that there would be a program so that they do not leave the Philippines),’’ he explained.

‘’Meron tayong wealth ng supply ng talented people patungkol sa S and T (science and technology). Retain natin di by force pero bigyan natin ng program na nakatutok sa kanila (We have a wealth of supply of talented people in science and technology. We should retain them, not by force, but by giving them programs),’ he added.

Lacson said the R&D should have laboratories that would be focused on both rice farmers and the banana industry.

He lamented that countries have sent their bright people to the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Banos, Laguna but in the course of time, these countries are now better off that the Philippines.

‘’Of five Asean countries na pinapasukan ng FDI (foreign direct investment), Malaysia, indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam nauna sa atin (Of the five Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries where foreign investments flowed, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam are ahead)..Napabayaan tayo (We were left behind). Siguro nakaraang administration nagkaroon ng neglect kaya may import dependent mentality (There was probably neglect by the past administration that is why there is an import dependent mentality) .Sayang ang talent ng ating mga kababaya (The talent of our countrymen are being wasted),’’ he pointed out.

As the direction of storms or typhoons has shifted to Mindanao, Lacson said disaster response should be accelerated.

To act fast on areas hit by disasters, Lacson said an office should be created under the Office of the President, adding that the current Office of Civil Defense (OCD) has the capability.

The chairman of the Senate National Defense and Security panel said he is sad that the Philippines is the fourth most vulnerable country due to climate climate although it contributed only 0.3 percent of carbon emission compared to industrialized countries like China, United States, and the European Union, which have contributed greatly to carbon emissions.