Albay Gov. Joey Salceda praised Sen. Grace Poe’s plan to allocate P300 billion in the annual budget solely for agriculture as the best thing he has heard among the economic platforms offered by presidential candidates.
In a press conference with Poe and her running mate Sen. Francis “Chiz” Escudero in Legazpi City, Albay, Salceda said: “This is by far the most radical pronouncement I’ve heard from anybody in this election.”
Salceda, an economic adviser during the Arroyo administration, explained that by increasing the budget for agriculture five-fold, farmers and fisher folk would be able to “pull the rug from under the businessmen” who have controlled the more lucrative lending, trading and marketing aspects of the business.
“Ordinary farmers will not be held by the neck by businessmen anymore. Agriculture accounts for 17 percent of GDP (gross domestic product) but it accounts for less than two percent of the total P3.3 trillion budget,” said Salceda.
Based on her 20-point economic proposal, Poe said she would allocate at least P300 billion for agriculture starting in her first year in office that would be used to provide free irrigation, build more 28,000 kilometers of farm to market roads, subsidies, livelihood support and technology upgrades. Poe has tagged agriculture as a means to pursue an inclusive growth strategy to ensure that the economy’s fortunes trickle down to the bulk of the population. Poe has also proposed to step up government’s marketing of local farm produce; establish more agro-industrial zones; and declare more marine sanctuaries.
“We cannot encourage the children to actually take up agriculture if we don’t support the agricultural sector. As you know, right now, I think the average age of a farmer is 57 years old and it is very difficult for them to make a decent living out of farming. So the government really has to step in, and make it lucrative for them,” Poe said in her speech before members of the Makati Business Club last month.
Salceda said that the leading presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, has yet to clarify his economic plans, specifically for the agriculture sector.
Based on his campaign speeches, Salceda said that Duterte’s implied economic plan was to adopt a federal form of government.
“That’s an expenditure program that essentially shifts much of the money from the central government to regional. But that will take a long time.
His plan is to put more money in the countryside but through local government. But with Grace, she will put more money in the countryside through direct transfer to the household, farmers and fisher folks,” said Salceda.
Salceda pointed out that part of Poe’s plan was to allocate at least a third off the budget or P1 billion a year for Mindanao.