Presidential candidate Norberto Gonzales, a former defense chief, thinks Congress should consider the carabao as a meat source. (File photo from Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The carabao should be considered as another meat source to strengthen the country’s food security, former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales, a presidential candidate, said on Tuesday at a debate hosted by Sonshine Media Network International (SMNI).
Gonzales said that, if elected president, he would ask Congress that would allow carabaos to be eaten.
“Maybe we would fix other sources of protein like the carabao. Maybe we can ask Congress to allow the carabao to be eaten. We don’t eat carabao meat,” he said in Filipino.
Gonzales also said the agricultural sector should be strengthened to ensure food security.
He also raised concerns about land ownership, citing it as one of the reasons holding back progress in agriculture.
“Our agriculture is not progressing because we have deficiencies in our laws and policies on agriculture, particularly the law on agrarian reform. The big lands that others are farming, we cut them up and distributed them,” he said.
In his turn, labor leader Leody de Guzman, another presidential candidate, said government resources should be poured into the agricultural sector, particularly to improve the livelihood of farmers and fishermen.
In this way, they would be able to have a bigger harvest.
The government, he added, should also invest in research and development to maximize their harvests..
He also rejected the importation of fish and vegetables and urged the repeal of the rice tariffication law.
“We should not be importing fish. We should not be importing onions, garlic, and round scad [“galunggong”] considering that we are really an agricultural country. So we need to make a road map for developing our agriculture,” De Guzman said.
The government should also establish post-harvest facilities to ensure that food distribution would be equal, he added.
Presidential candidate Ferdinand Marcos Jr. echoed De Guzman’s remarks on prioritizing research and development, particularly into different varieties of grains and vegetables.
He also proposed giving loans and other forms of aid to farmers to give them access to fertilizers, pesticides, and water.
Presidential candidate Ernesto Abella said the government should set up a Board of Agricultural Investments directly under the Office of the President to strengthen the agricultural sector, specifically in technical and entrepreneurial aspects.
He said at least 1% of the country’s gross domestic product should be allocated to agriculture.
He also pushed for increased wages and increased revenue and rural income to achieve “economic nationalism.”
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