Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso on Monday said he would institute policies that would cut the cost of food production, leading towards a more sustainable food production that would ensure food security for the country.
“Food security is the number one threat to national security pero nakasalalay tayo sa bigas sa ibang bansa, ironically,” Moreno said during a consultation with agriculture and organic farming stakeholders at the Mimaropa Regional Office of the Agricultural Training Institute in Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro.
“The next government should focus its resources in ensuring food security in our own country because we cannot have the same pandemic at aasa tayo na padadalhan tayo ng bigas ng ating mga inaangkatan ng bigas,” said the Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate.
If elected, Moreno said one of the first thing his government would introduce under the “Buhay at Kabuhayan” platform of governance is to cut taxes on oil and electricity by 50 percent that, among others, would bring down the cost of food production, especially rice, raise the income of farmers and fisherfolk, bring down the prices basic commodities and sustain food production.
Agriculture is one of the major users of petroleum products. Farmers are heavily dependent on oil products for fuel, fertilizers and pesticides to achieve high crop yields. Fisherfolks are also reliant on petroleum for their motorized boats.
Petroleum is also a key source of energy for transportation and power generation. While the government may lose around P130 billion in revenues due to the proposed tax cuts, Moreno said the same amount will immediately benefit the people in terms of savings—savings that would subsequently return to government as people spend more due to their stronger purchasing power.
“Kapag ang P130 billion ay hawak ng tao, ang laking ginhawa sa nanay, sa tatay, sa driver, sa negosyante, ang malaking ginhawa sa farmers. Hopefully in the next two to three years, lumaki naman ang inyong kita,” said Moreno.
For a more prudent and efficient governance in food production, he reiterated his earlier promise to separate the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources from the Department of Agriculture.
“Para ang agriculture sa lupa, naka-focus sa lupa, ang food production sa dagat, naka-focus sa dagat,” said Moreno.
Moreno also urged Filipino farmers to plant more vegetables and other high value crops to meet local demand.
In previous dialogs, Moreno has vowed to establish of post-harvest facilities and cold-storage facilities in all provinces and other key areas across the nation as part of his food security policy.
The 47-year-old presidential aspirant said establishing such facilities in all provinces would ensure that farmers and fishermen, as well as hog and chicken producers, could maintain the quality of their surplus produce or perishable products while waiting for a more competitive price.
Moreno, his running mate Dr. Willie Ong and Aksyon Demokratiko senatorial slate Dr. Carl Balita, Samira Gutoc and Jopet Sison are in Oriental Mindoro as part of their “Listening Tour” that brought them to various provinces including Batangas, Tarlac, Pampanga, Nueva Vizcaya, Cebu, Bataan and Zambales.