Aspiring president Vice President Leni Robredo is pushing for the modernization of agriculture in the country which is poised to bring various improvements in the sector.

Robredo articulated during the KBP Presidential Candidates Forum on Friday, Feb. 4, that with the modernization of the agriculture sector and support to local farmers, they will be able to compete with foreign importers, achieve better income while decreasing their production cost, and gain a stable presence in the market.

“Ang approach talaga natin, i-modernize at suportahan ang agricultural sector para bumaba ang gastusin nila sa pagsasaka (Our approach is to modernize and support the agriculture sector to lower the expenses of farmers)," Robredo said.

"Kaya hindi tayo nakakapag-compete kasi napakataas ng ating cost of production (The reason why we can't compete because our cost of production is very high),” Robredo added.

She said with proper support, farmers’ income will rise, they will be encouraged to farm, and local produce will be enough to sustain the Philippines.

The Vice President further said that farmers must be linked directly to institutional buyers to do away from transacting with so-called "middlemen" which they currently do in the Office of the Vice President’s Omasenso sa Kabuhayan program launched in 2018.

“Papalakasin natin ang agrikultura, lalo na ang local production para tuloy-tuloy ang kita ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda, at sigurado ang food supply (We will strengthen agriculture, especially the local production so the income of farmers, fishers, and food supply continues)," Robredo said.

During the presidential forum, Robredo reiterated that she will carry on with the Build, Build, Build program if she wins the presidency but the focus will shift to the rural areas to build infrastructure that will spur economic growth.