Press Release
February 4, 2009

RP farmers lagging behind Asean counterparts due to corruption - Loren

The Senate will review the performance of the Department of Agriculture for its failure to improve the productivity of Philippine agriculture apace with other countries.

Sen. Loren Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, deplored that the Philippines has lagged behind its Asean neighbors in agricultural development and productivity, resulting in hunger and poverty among the people, especially those in the farming sector.

"If the Philippines is to keep pace with its Asean neighbors in terms of food production, the government must institute reforms in the agricultural sector to help our farmers maximize their productivity in accordance with global standards," said Senator Legarda.

Loren blamed corruption, incompetence and faulty programs for the failure of Philippine agriculture to keep up with its neighbors like China, Vietnam and Thailand which continue to pile up surplus harvests, enabling them to export agricultural products, like rice.

"What can a farmer do with land if he does not have water to irrigate his land, seeds to plant and the proper fertilizers for the crop and not fertilizers for orchids," said Loren.

Loren cited the P800-million fertilizer scam "as only one of the more flagrant examples of corruption in the implementation of agricultural programs. This must stop."

"We are losing the battle of productivity with even our Asean neighbors as we continue to fail our farmers and our fishermen," she said. "The Philippine stimulus package, to deal with the effects of the global financial meltdown, should include subsidies for the farmers."

Loren added that she had seen so many farmers lying idle as they wait for the government support.

"We need to follow through with the programs to their success by providing the critical support our farmers need," she added.

Consequently, the senator vowed to initiate measure calling for the Senate committee she chairs to review the performance of the DA last year.

"The Senate Committee on Agriculture will continue reviewing the 2008 programs of the Department of Agriculture to determine which programs were most effective and gave the most benefit for the people," Loren said.

Loren explained that reviewing the department's program last year became necessary because the department stands to receive P3.7 billion from the 2009 national budget.

"We have to determine whether the legislated funds are going to be used wisely," she said.

Loren noted that in many areas of the country, like in the Visayas, "marine produce go to waste due to lack of cold storage facilities which can keep produce frozen and viable for up to six months.

"We are losing so much to corruption that even the most basic of programs are dying or failing," Legarda said, adding that the Senate will do its part to safeguard the funds from misappropriation.

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