Bongbong Marcos in Occidental Mindoro. Image from Facebook / Bongbong Marcos
MANILA, Philippines — Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. vowed on Wednesday to address the high costs of fertilizer in the country in a bid to help local farmers and strengthen the agriculture sector.
During his campaign in Oriental Mindoro, Marcos said one of the ways he could think of to help the province is by ensuring that fertilizer prices are within reach of the farmers.
“Maraming dinalang problema at krisis ang pandemya at kasama sa nahirapan ng husto ay ang ating ekonomiya. Ang agrikultura kailangan pagandahin,” the presidential candidate said.
(The pandemic has brought a lot of problems such as its impact to our economy. We have to improve our agriculture sector.)
“Ang palay mura [binibili ng mga middlemen], tapos yung urea nasa P2,800 halos P3,000 na paano pa kayo [mga magsasaka] makakabawi niyan? Kaya lahat ng problema sa agrikultura kailangan ayusin yan,” he added, referring to a type of fertilizer being used by farmers to increase the yield of their crops.
(Middlemen buy palay at a very low price, then urea fertilizer costs around P2,800 to P3,000 so how can our farmers earn? That’s why we have to address the issues with agriculture.)
According to the Marcos camp, residents of Oriental Mindoro were complaining that middlemen buy their palay at very low farmgate prices at around P11 per kilo, resulting in losses since it cost them P15 to produce a kilo of palay.
Aside from programs for the agriculture sector, Marcos vowed to continue the Build, Build, Build program, including the proposed Mindoro-Batangas Super Bridge.
He said the bridge will bring progress as it can facilitate easier and faster travel and commerce between the two provinces.
Meanwhile, Marcos has secured the support of Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor, who claimed that of all the presidential candidates, it was Marcos that gave the most help to the province.
“Bilang governor ninyo at mananatiling governor ng Mindoro, katuwang ang bawat isang Mindoreño, pagsama-samahin natin, ipanalo natin, ihatid natin sa Malacañang ang susunod na pangulo ng Republika ng Pilipinas,” Dolor said.
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