SWIFT GOVERNMENT ACTION COULD HAVE PREVENTED
KIDAPAWAN TRAGEDY - BONGBONG MARCOS

Vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos Jr. today said had the government acted more decisively and earnestly in solving the problems of the farmers affected by El Nino, the Kidapawan City incident would not have happened.

He added the tragedy that befell the drought-hit farmers in North Cotabato should serve as a big lesson to the government to give priority to the agricultural sector.

"Well yun nga ang very big tragedy. Palagay ko maraming may pananagutan dyan at imbes na tinutulungan natin sinasaktan pa natin sila. Malaking pagkakamali yan," he said.

Marcos has been repeatedly calling for swift and immediate government action on the areas affected by drought especially in Mindanao particularly giving them financial and technical support.

He said a thorough investigation should be conducted on the incident so shed light on why the police should respond to their grievances with bullets.

"Hindi naman alam kung bakit ang mga magsasaka na hindi na nga sinusuportahan ng ating pamahalaan ay humuningi lamang ng tulong...ay hindi naman sila humihingi ng pera ang hinihinigi nila ay pagkain para lang mabuhay at sila'y pinagbabaril. Pano naman nangyari yan?," he stated.

Marcos said the government should now start a comprehensive program to help the farmers. "Sa palagay ko ay kailangan namin dito sa pamahalaan na mag-isip ng mabuti kung ano ang maaari nating gawin na imbes na sinasaktan natin ang ating mga magsasaka sila'y tulungan natin at suportahan natin para maging mas matibay ang kanilang hanapbuhay, mas maganda ang kanilang ikinabubuhay," he said.