President Marcos vowed to revive his later father's agricultural reforms, citing the need for a whole-of-nation approach to address the issues in the agri-fishery sector, which he claimed suffered years of neglect.

Marcos said this during the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) in Quezon City on Wednesday, Oct. 25.

In his speech, the President said his administration faces the monumental task of developing and modernizing the Philippine agri-fishery sector, which has been left behind for decades.

“Hindi kaya ng pamahalaan na nag-iisa na gawin lahat ito, kaya't kailangan po natin ang tulong ninyo (The government cannot do this alone. We need you)," he said.

"Kailangan namin ang sipag ninyo, kailangan namin ang advice ninyo dahil kayo ang nakaharap sa mga problema ng agrikultura na dinadaanan natin ngayon (We need your hard work and your advice because you are the ones facing the agricultural problems)," he added.

According to Marcos, who also heads the Department of Agriculture (DA), the government has to start assessing the needs of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk to increase their yield and productivity and elevate their living conditions.

He added that his administration prioritizes enhancing agricultural productivity, ensuring food supply and affordability, and lessening dependence on importation.

Another priority, the President said, is increasing the exportation of agricultural products, which has been an essential driver of the competitiveness of the economy.

Marcos said the administration is steering the growth of the fisheries and farming industries with urgency. He likewise expressed optimism for the modernization of the agri-fisheries sector with a substantial budget of P85.88 billion for 2023 and a proposed budget of P92.4 billion pesos for 2024.

So far this year, the DA has allocated P4.73 billion as an investment for large-scale agriculture and fishery mechanization and modernization. This endeavor aims to elevate the living conditions of farmers, fishermen, and their families.

“Among the many endeavors that we are pursuing is the strengthening of the various associations and cooperatives so that they can provide business and investment opportunities to their beneficiaries,” he said

“You have my assurance that the government is striving to implement efficient mechanization strategies to reduce post-harvest losses and to ensure the optimal yield at an affordable cost," he added.