CHIZ TO GOV'T: KILL HUNGER, NOT HUNGRY FARMERS

SAN PEDRO, LAGUNA--Sen. Francis "Chiz" Escudero has vowed bigger budget allocation for the agriculture sector under the "Gobyernong may Puso" of Sen. Grace Poe to ensure that no more Filipino farmer or fisherman will go hungry because of the lack of support from the government.

According to the independent vice-presidential bet, he and Poe aim to make the agriculture sector more lucrative to end the sense of desperation among farm workers as reflected by protesting farmers in Kidapawan City last April 1.

"Maglalaan kami, 10 porsyento ng national budget, o P300 bilyon para sa agrikultura. Pangunahing gagawin po namin ay libre ang irigasyon," Escudero said during the flag-raising ceremony in Laguna, where the "Gobyernong may Puso" tandem took their campaign sortie.

"Layunin po naming gawin ito para mapataas ang kita ng magsasaka at hindi naman mangyari yung nangyari sa Kidapawan. Hindi ba't nakakalungkot? Yung nagpapakain sating magsasaka, wala mismong makain. Hindi nila dapat patayin ang gutom. Dapat patayin nila ang gutom o kagutuman," he added, in reference to the violent dispersal of protesting farmers in Kidapawan City which left three farmers dead and dozens more injured.

The farmers were demanding 15,000 sacks of rice to stave off hunger after losing their crops to El Niño-induced drought.

Running under a platform of inclusive growth, Escudero and his presidential running mate plan to allot at least P300 billion for the agriculture sector to meet the needs of farmers like farm-to-market roads, free irrigation service, crop insurance and post-harvest facilities--steps that would boost the household income of farmers by 7-8 percent.

Under the P3.002-trillion national budget for 2016, the agriculture sector has a total allocation of P94 billion, including the P40.2 billion earmarked for the Department of Agriculture and P32.7 billion for the National Irrigation Administration.

To achieve inclusive growth, Escudero said it was important for the government to address the ills of the agriculture sector, which hosts 60 percent of the poorest families in the country.