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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider No more band-aid solutions: Castro says DA needs full-time secretary

No more band-aid solutions: Castro says DA needs full-time secretary

Published Jun 19, 2023 03:26 am
President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. (left) and ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro (Facebook, Zoom)


The Department of Agriculture (DA) needs a full-time secretary who can offer better solutions to the problems confronting the agriculture sector. Thus, said ACT Teachers Party-list Rep. France Castro on Monday, June 19 as she criticized President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s decision to hold onto the post of DA chief amid all his other functions. "The Department of Agriculture needs a full-time secretary who truly understands and knows the solutions to the agricultural as well as agrarian problems of the country," said Castro, a member of the Makabyan bloc and a House deputy minority leader. "Unfortunately, the remedies being implemented by the DA under Marcos are mostly band-aid solutions and entail the importation of key agricultural products like rice, sugar, onions, and the like," reckoned Castro. The veteran solon says the pro-importation policy further sends the farmers deeper into poverty and at the same time makes agricultural importers richer. "Unless genuine agrarian reform coupled with full support of the government to local farmers is implemented as well as a stop to land use conversion, our agricultural sector will die." Marcos announced that he would temporarily act as DA secretary shortly following his election victory in May 2022. Pundits believed Marcos was going to name a full-time agriculture chief soon after the latter installed full-time secretaries at the Department of National Defense (DND) and Department of Health) earlier this month. That has yet to happen. "We call on the government to prioritize the interests of our farmers and the agricultural sector. We need a secretary of agriculture who will truly champion the rights and welfare of our farmers and not just implement band-aid solutions to the problems that they are facing," Castro said. The Makabayan solons are consistent administration critics.

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ACT Teachers Partylist Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr. Department of Agriculture (DA) Rep. France Castro
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