MANILA -- President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday raised the need to foster better coordination mechanisms between the national and local governments in the area of food supply.

“We have to coordinate our efforts on food supply. We cannot just allow ‘bahala na kayo’,” Marcos said during his meeting with members of the League of Provinces of the Philippines. 

The chief executive also noted the importance of planning, saying it will give the idea of the provinces’ cropping schedules, yield, soil problems, and use of fertilizer.

“But this has to be part of a plan, and that is why, more than ever, the President needs the help of the governors. Dati, ang agriculture, for example, was really under the national government,” he said.

Aside from food supply, the President also sought strengthened coordination in the field of digitalization, noting that provinces have done a better job than the national government in this area.

“Marami sa inyong medyo progressive, inunahan niyo na ang national government. Now, we have to bring the system together. Kailangan ‘yung information na hawak ng isang probinsya, ng isang agency,  accessible doon sa kabila as long as they have authorization,” he said.

“We have to be literally interconnected. So that’s another area where we are hoping that we can strengthen the cooperation – the planning, the coordination between national government and local government,” the President added. 

In his first State of the Nation Address, the President discussed his administration’s plan for digital transformation. 

This includes the rollout of National IDs, the implementation of the National Broadband Plan and the common tower program, as well as connecting geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas via the so-called ‘Broad Band ng Masa’ project. (PND)