MANILA -- President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. reiterated on Wednesday that his administration’s thrust toward developing the Philippine agriculture sector to improve the country’s overall economy.
“Kaya po ay maliwanag na maliwanag dahil…nakita namin kahit ano pang gawin natin na pagandahin ang ekonomiya kung hindi natin maayos ang agrikultura, hindi po natin mapapaganda at mapapatibay ang ating ekonomiya. Lalo ngayon ay maraming pangyayari, maraming pagbabago,” President Marcos said during the distribution of various government assistance in Butuan City.
“Kailangan matibay ang ating sistema, ang sektor ng agrikultura upang tumibay lahat ng ibang sektor kahit ang industriya. Pagka’t ‘pag makausap n’yo po ang mga mayayaman, malalaking korporasyon, agrikultura pa rin ang sinasabi nila. Kailangan talaga ayusin ‘yung agrikultura kaya’t diyan tayo naka-prioritize.”
Aside from providing aid to the farmers and other organizations, the President said he visited Agusan del Norte to extend assistance to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
The President also highlighted the need to boost agricultural production to sustain the need of Kadiwa stores being launched by the administration in different parts of the country.
The Kadiwa program is a farm-to-consumer market chain that eliminates intermediaries, allowing local producers to generate higher income by selling their produce directly to consumers.
“Para maging matagumpay itong programa ng Kadiwa ay kailangan talaga natin ayusin ang agrikultura natin, paramihin ang mga produkto natin, paramihin ang production natin, pagandahin natin ang processing natin,” he said.
More than 20 participants from the DA and Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) joined the Kadiwa ng Pangulo launched in Butuan City.
Among those distributed by the President to farmer association in Butuan City and Agusan del Norte include nine palay harvester units.
The chief executive, through the Department of Agriculture (DA), also distributed 100 sacks of fertilizer to more than 700 farmers in the province in addition to agricultural vehicles.
Twenty units of fabricated fiberglass reinforced fishing boats were also handed over to fisherfolks under the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) fishery program.
The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-CARAGA also joined the President’s event through a Job Fair at the Agusan del Norte Provincial Capitol covered court in Butuan City.
Some 20 local companies offered 831 job while three entities for overseas deployment made available 434 job vacancies during the Job Fair.
Also, some 61 under the DOLE’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (TUPAD) beneficiaries receive payouts amounting P213,500. (PND)
