Photo Release

Removing red tape in fertilizer distribution: Sen. Robinhood Padilla calls on the Department of Agriculture (DA) to let cooperatives handle the distribution of fertilizers to help alleviate the plight of farmers in the country. During the hybrid hearing of Finance Subcommittee B on the proposed 2023 budget of the Department of Agriculture and its attached agencies and corporations Tuesday, October 18, 2022, Padilla lamented the daily struggles of farmers in securing their farming needs due to bureaucratic processes. “I witnessed this because I came from a family of farmers. Based on their experience, the farmers need to go to their respective local government units (LGUs) just to get fertilizers. I actually don’t understand why the distribution of fertilizers needs to be with the LGUs,” Padilla said in Filipino. Asked by Padilla if it would be possible for cooperatives to handle the distribution of fertilizer discount vouchers instead of the LGUs to cut the bureaucratic red tape, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said one of the changes that they have implemented in the distribution of fertilizers is to course the vouchers through the cooperatives. (Voltaire F. Domingo/Senate PRIB)