Cayetano: No more Kidapawan incident under Duterte-Cayetano admin

Vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano today slammed the current administration's treatment of the agricultural sector, lamenting that its actions - or lack thereof - had resulted in tragedy for the country's farmers, such as the violent dispersal of the farmers' protest in Kidapawan.

Given that Cayetano's running mate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo "Rody" Duterte cited agriculture as part of his main agenda if elected, alongside health and education, the senator said that a Duterte-Cayetano government will implement several measures geared toward the betterment of the country's agricultural sector.

Cayetano said he and Duterte will push for several programs that will provide assistance to farmers, such as free and complete irrigation systems in the provinces, subsidized production inputs, and additional infrastructure such as food terminals to connect farmers directly to the market.

Another priority of the Duterte-Cayetano tandem is the country's fishing industry. As part of the tandem's listening tour dubbed "Ronda-Serye," Cayetano went to General Santos, known for its tuna industry, on May 2 (Monday) to conduct a dialogue with the area's tuna vendors.

"Under a Duterte-Cayetano government, our fishermen, who provide food on our tables, will be paid twice the daily minimum wage in the region and recieve hazard pay. This is on top of the commissions which they will get from their catch," said Cayetano, in response to the problems that the tuna vendors encounter on a daily basis.

To protect both the agricultural and fishing industry which are vulnerable to weather-related disasters such as the El Niño phenomenon, the Duterte-Cayetano tandem vowed to work toward the creation of an Emergency Response Department (ERD) which will focus on disaster preparedness and response.

They also proposed the establishment of non-collateral credit fund programs to help farmers and fisherfolk cope with the damages that such weather-related disasters would bring about.

"The names we put on our ballots on May 9 will determine the country's fate for the next six years. Mayor Duterte and I humbly offer ourselves to be your leaders, champions, and fighters," ended Cayetano.