FOR a small grocery vendor, selling agricultural products such as rice, poultry and dairy products is essential to provide for the basic needs of all people.
“Dahil ’yun ’yung, sa aking palagay, ’yun ang pangangailangan ng tao na araw-araw nilang bibilhin. ’Di gaya ng damit at gamot na sa tuwing kailangan lang bibili [Because those are, in my view, the things people need daily and which they must buy. Not like clothes and medicine, which they only need to buy occasionally],” explained Jeanette Ongtangco.
The 39-year-old mother of two established her business in Bulacan where it is closer to her family’s home and has been operating her business for one-and-a-half years now.
“Kung papalarin gusto ko sanang mas mapalaki ito at gawing isang malaking grocery, kung saan mas kumpleto at mas mabababang presyo ang maibigay ko sa aking mga taga-tangkilik [If I’m lucky I’d like to expand this into a grocery, where goods are complete and I can offer them at affordable prices to customers],” she said.
Her optimism is well-founded. Bulacan, like the rest of Central Luzon, is bursting with economic activity and the outlook for growth and human progress is robust.
Despite the modern infrastructure developments in the region, however, Central Luzon’s agricultural sector is still a priority concern, with a need to further improve rice production.
The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released data showing the rice yield of the country in 2017 at a total of 19.28 million metric tons (MMT). Central Luzon made the highest contribution of 3.63 MMT, or 19 percent to the total rice production, making it still the rice granary of the Philippines.
“Improving productivity is vital not only to increase production but also to augment the incomes of farmers and fisherfolk,” the Regional Development Council (RDC 3) declared.
Per data released in 2015, farmers had an average family income of P100,000 a year, which was below the poverty line of P108,000 in the same year.
Data from 2011-2015 showed total rice yield of the region ranging from 2,616 MT to 3,765 MT and an annual per capita consumption of 112 kilograms, with a rice surplus of 1,078 MT.
“This could supply the rice requirements of Metro Manila for nine months in 2014. Therefore, the region’s palay production should be further improved through the partnership of the government and the private sector in providing services to the farmers,” RDC 3 said.
RDC 3 plans to increase the number of farmers and fisherfolk along with agriculture and fisheries-based enterprises or processors “with access to financing that will enhance their purchasing power to acquire necessary inputs they need for operations.”
The region plans to improve agricultural technology using hybrid rice—a product that, thanks to technological advancement, is a high-yielding variety.
Rationalizing land used allocated for agriculture is also a solution the RDC 3 has set its sights on in a bid to improve production in Central Luzon, as urbanization sprawls over the rural landscape.
“The comprehensive land-use plan and zoning ordinances of cities and municipalities shall be updated pursuant to the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board guidelines, Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997, Fisheries Code of the Philippines on agricultural land conversion, including the delineation of municipal waters,” according to the RDC.
Infrastructure projects boost growth rate
MEANWHILE, on the ground, people get on with their lives, eager to catch a piece of the promised progress. One such optimistic entrepreneur is Carmel Morales, whose family’s business is a hardware store that provides the materials needed for house constructions in their residential area.
Carmel C. Morales Hardware is banking on sustained demand for construction materials from both the locals and the housing projects of agencies.
“[Kasi] lahat ng tao gusto maayos na bahay. After pagkain, bahay ang gusto or priority ng bawat pamilya [Everybody wants a nice home. After food, a home is a priority of most families],” Morales said.
He plans to improve his business by expanding the production line of aluminum and glass materials, and increase his stock when he pools together enough funds to meet a preset budget.
It’s not just Carmel’s hardware that looks to sustained activity in the infrastructure sector. In Clark infrastructure projects boosted Central Luzon’s gross regional domestic product target growth rate of 5.9 percent to 6.9 percent, making it the third highest regional economy in the country.
Under the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program, two huge projects—such as the New Clark City, formerly known as the Green City, and its athletic center named Olympic City, are pushing growth in the region.
The projects opened up more than 5,000 job opportunities to workers and aligned with the employment plans of the region. Central Luzon’s employment rate was at 94.6 percent as of April 2018, according to the PSA.
The New Clark City in Pampanga will be including a 200-hectare land for administrative and government offices that will be transferred along with thousands of government workers from Metro Manila. This is part of President Duterte’s plan to decentralize Manila.
Another infrastructure development in the city is a 20,000-seat athletic stadium along with a 2,000-seater aquatics center in New Clark City, as preparations for the 2019 Southeast Asian Games continue.
The Philippine Sports Commission planned the sports hub to become the Philippine Olympic City, which will house national athletes and sports facilities and will be one of the top attractions in New Clark City.
Malaysian construction company AlloyMTD was the firm tasked to build the sports stadiums, athletic and aquatic centers in partnership with the government-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority.
The National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) planned the infrastructure support and development to ensure low production costs, improve tourism potential and enhance regional markets. The development and rehabilitation of airports and seaports, to improve investments and tourism, is part of the regional road map.
“More jobs, however, are expected to be created for the rest of the plan period, 2018-2022, with the implementation of major infrastructure projects planned for the region. Among these is the 9,450- hectare development of New Clark City,” theNeda said.
Image credits: Alexey Kornylyev | Dreamstime.com