Q: Sir, magandang hapon. Sir, kumusta sir ‘yung pagbisita rito sa International Rice Research Institute? Ano pong objective, sir?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: That’s what… Iyon ang pinapaliwanag ko sa kanilang Board of Directors kasi lagi nating pinag-uusapan na kailangan patibayin ‘yung value chain ng agrikultura. Eh ‘yung unang – sa umpisa niyan, ‘yung umpisa ng value chain, the first link is R&D.
And that’s why we came here – I came here with some of the other officials from the DA. Pumunta kami rito para patibayin ‘yung partnership in the sharing of information. Mukha namang maganda naman pero sabi ko patibayin pa natin ng mas…
Ang maganda sa naging resulta nitong bisita ay marami tayong nakita na mayroon talaga silang bagong technologies that are completely appropriate on the Philippine setting, so nabigyan kami ng pag-asa.
Now, it’s up to us now in the Philippine government to make sure those technologies, those products, go down to the grassroots.
Q: Thank you, sir.
Q: Magandang hapon, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Hi, good afternoon.
Q: Sir, any update po may napipisil na po ba kayong magiging Kalihim ng Agri?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Sa?
Q: May napipisil na po ba kayong magiging Kalihim ng Department of Agriculture, sir? May mga pangalan na daw po kayo?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Agri? Ayaw pumayag nitong si Usec eh. Sabi niya masyadong mabigat daw ‘yung trabaho.
Actually, I have a schedule — I have a timetable for that. There are certain things that I would like to achieve before leaving the department. So hindi pa tayo nandoon. But of course, maraming lumalabas na pangalan. Tuloy-tuloy ang pagtingin namin, pag-ano.
So hopefully by the time na ‘yung checklist ko natapos na, mayroon na tayong puwedeng i-nominate na DA.
Q: Sir, mga ilan po ‘yan na mga pangalan na tinitingnan niyo po?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Well, that list keeps changing. May nawawala, may nadadagdag. May nawawala, may nadadagdag.
Q: Thank you, sir.
Q: Good afternoon, sir.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good afternoon.
Q: Sir, if not po ‘yung 20 pesos per kilo na rice, ano po ‘yung magiging Christmas gift niyo po sa ating mga kababayan?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Sa? Saan?
Q: If not po – if not the 20 pesos per kilo ng rice, ano po ‘yung magiging Christmas gift po natin sa ating mga kababayan po?
PRESIDENT MARCOS: The 20 pesos was really the goal. The dream is paabutin natin ng 20 pesos. We are trying to do – we are continuing with the transfer payments that we have begun with.
We did – we are going to widen the scope of the Kadiwa so that it is – it is now… The Kadiwa was always conducted sa LGU – at LGU level individually. Ngayon, ginawa na naming national program. Sinama na natin lahat-lahat nung mga Kadiwa. I’m hoping that we can – we will see some adjustment in prices for Christmas and it looks like baka naman swertehin tayo.
‘Yung worry ko lang itong nangyari sa – ‘yung TRO na binigay ng CA doon sa PSA ng San Miguel at saka Meralco. ‘Yun ang worry ko. ‘Yun ang inaano namin ngayon, ‘yun ang talagang tinatrabaho namin ngayon na hindi tumaas ang fuel. Not this – at least not for Christmas man lang.
If we could postpone and padahan-dahanin lang natin. Kung tataas man, dahan-dahanin natin ang pagtaas. Masyado nang mahirap – masyado nang nahihirapan ang tao.
Q: Mr. President, good afternoon.
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Good afternoon.
Q: Any thoughts on the results of the OCTA Research Survey na based on the administration’s programs and policies…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Any thoughts on…?
Q: OCTA Research Survey, ‘yung “Tugon ng Masa” —
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Iyong…?
Q: Ang sabi sa result is 85 percent daw ng Filipinos believe na…
PRESIDENT MARCOS: Oh, the OCTA Research… Well, of course, it’s very encouraging that people think that we are moving in the right direction.
Also specifically, I haven’t been able to study it really but nakita ko ‘yung – it crosses demographics, the number is more or less the same across the demographics.
So that is important to me because every class of society must feel that they are being served by the government. And with that kind of statistic, then it looks like we have at least – we have made the government felt at every level of society. That’s what’s important to me.
— END —
Watch here: Media Interview by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. at the IRRI Board of Trustees Meeting
Location: IRRI Headquarters in Los Baños, Laguna
