BOC's seizure of hot rice will help increase farmers' incomes

We laud the Bureau of Customs' efforts in curbing illegal importation of rice, a commodity which has long been abused by certain sectors due to its impact in the political, economic, and social landscape.

For so long our farmers have been at the short end of this stick, rendering them impoverished and powerless. Imagine earning a meager 23,000 pesos per year? That means they are living on less than 2,000 pesos a month. That is not even enough to meet their basic needs. This concerted effort by the BOC to curb smuggling will definitely have an impact in the livelihood of our farmers.

In 2011, we convened Agriculture and Fisheries 2025 and gathered for the first time all the major stakeholders of the agriculture and fisheries sector, including the farmers and fishermen. We also initiated Sagip Saka, an advocacy to provide to farmers and fisherfolk much-needed interventions and access to markets, investments, and technology.

The concerns of our farmers and fisherfolk have been left unheard for so long. If we fail to address their plight, there would be no one left to till the lands for the next generation, especially since the average age of our farmers is 57. The government must continue to push for agricultural reform in order to increase the incomes of our farmers and fisherfolk. Efforts such as the ones being undertaken by the BOC will definitely help in alleviating the economic plight of our farmers.

Philippine Agri & Fisheries sector presents opportunities for job creation, poverty alleviation

In light of the country’s current socio-economic climate, both the government and the private sector should look to increasing investments in Philippine agriculture and fisheries in order to create more jobs, secure food supply, and help combat poverty in the countryside.

We make this call following the release of the latest Pulse Asia survey which shows that among the “leading urgent national concerns” are “controlling inflation and addressing the low pay of workers”, followed by “fighting corruption in government, creating more jobs, and reducing poverty.

We’ve said this before and we’ll say it again: there are still plenty of untapped opportunities in the countryside that will allow us to solve the problem of poverty, hunger, rising prices, and food security. The Philippines is still largely an agricultural nation, and if we channel the right mindset and resources onto this sector, we’ll be able to capitalize on existing opportunities in both domestic and foreign markets.

One good example is the the Kalasag Onion Farmers Cooperative in Nueva Ecija, which was able to quadruple its earnings in four years thanks to investments in agriculture and getting support from stakeholders, including the private sector and potential buyers.


With the right investments and the right support structure in place, we can create more opportunities for our people to earn a decent living without leaving the country. In the same vein, upping the incomes of our farmers and fisherfolk means making agriculture and fisheries viable and attractive again so that we can improve food production and achieve food security.

Kabit-kabit ho lahat ‘yan,pagka-gumanda ang kita ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda, malaki ang epekto nito sa ating ekonomiya. Lahat tayo apektado. Lahat tayo makakakain, lahat tayo aasenso.

In January 2012,we launched Sagip Saka, an advocacy that aims to make modern agriculture sustainable and profitable by mobilizing stakeholders and giving agricultural communities greater access to capital, markets, technology, infrastructure, and other interventions. One hundred million has been earmarked for 23 pilot communities and projects from all over the country.

We’re working to change the game for agriculture through Sagip Saka, but there’s much more to be done. If we exert a concerted effort to revitalize Philippine agriculture, we’ll be able to see a turnaround in both the short term and the long term.

Our people are crying out for solutions. Addressing the opportunities in the countryside is one of them.

What is Sagip Saka?

We just launched SAGIP SAKA yesterday. A program meant to provide government, private sector support for agriculture and fisheries. At least P100 million in Priority Development Assistance Funding has been allocated to pilot various interventions for 24 agricultural communities all over the country for the Sagip Saka.

Sagip Saka is an advocacy to achieve sustainable modern agriculture and food security by transforming agricultural communities to reach their full potential, improving farmers’ and fishers’ quality of life, and bridging gaps through public-private partnerships. It will do this through interventions in the following areas: (1) providing access to investments and credit, (2) opening access to market, (3) rolling out infrastructure, (4) strengthening research and development, (5) organizing farmer communities and cooperatives, (6) ensuring the quality and consistency of supply, (7) mitigating the risks brought about by climate change.


It is built upon five pillars of close and critical collaboration among the following sectors: (1) the Department of Agriculture and other government agencies, (2) the business sector, (3) farmers and fishers cooperatives, (4) civil society organizations and micro-finance institutions, (5) and local government units.

Sagip Saka is meant to give agriculture and fisheries the primacy that it deserves by focusing on improving the quality of life of our farmers and fisherfolk and, in doing so, building sustainable farming communities nationwide as a means to achieve food security. Only through strong public-private partnerships can we achieve this.

The 24 beneficiaries that have been chosen for the first phase of Sagip Saka are the following: five Gawad Kalinga “Enchanted Farm” projects in Angat, Bulacan; Daet, Camarines Norte; Libmanan, Camarines Sur; Victorias City, Negros Occidental; Davao City, Davao del Sur; the Cagangohan Women Association (CWA) in Panabo, Davao del Norte; Lupon San Isidro Farmers Organization in San Isidro, Davao Oriental; Panaw Sumilao Multipurpose Cooperative in Sumilao, Bukidnon; Danlugan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Pagadian City, Zamboanga del Sur; Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Bohol Province; Samahang Mangingisda ng Brgy. Himo-Aw in Barangay Himo-Aw, Hilongos, Leyte; the rehabilitation of the Ifugao Rice Terraces for the benefit of rice farmers in the Province of Ifugao; Pecuaria Development Cooperative, Inc. in Bula, Camarines Sur; Sugar Farmers of Negros Occidental; Mindoro Ecological and Sustainable Agriculture Federation (MESAFED) in Victoria, Socorro, Pola, and Nauan, Oriental Mindoro; Construction of a fish port in the Municipality of Tiwi, Albay; the Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resource Management Council in Tiwi, Albay; Rice Terraces Farmers’ Cooperative in Banaue, Ifugao; the Federation of Mango Stakeholders of Region I in Ilocos Norte; San Jose City Onion and Other Vegatable Farmers through the Local Government Unit of San Jose City in Nueva Ecija; Amungan Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Iba, Zambales; Café Amadeo Development Cooperative in Amadeo, Cavite; Kooperatiba sa Patuloy na Pag-Unlad ng Agrikultura in San Pablo City, Laguna; and coffee farmers through the Provincial Government of Cavite.

Hindi po one-shot deal ang Sagip Saka, because our focus is to make the program sustainable so that we can help more agriculture and fisheries workers and communities in the coming years. Hindi po ito charity or dole-out because every Sagip Saka community has gone through a thorough screening process, and we have a criteria for selecting our beneficiaries. We have ensured that for every Sagip Saka community, there is the presence of strong and effective partnerships between and among at least two of our five pillars.

Aside from P100 million from our office's Prioritity Assistance Development Fund, the Department of Agriculture also allocated P20 million for the Ifugao Rice Terraces, the local government of Cavite allocated P5 million for Cavite pilot projects, and the Bicol local government allocated P4 million for Bicol pilot project. We call on other local governments and government agencies to support this program and support the farmers and the fisherfolk who are the lifeblood of our communities.

The real heart of Sagip Saka is the drive to bring farmers and fisherfolk out of poverty and to give them the respect that their professions so deserve, with the belief that empowering our agricultural sector with financial stability and disposable income will also make a huge impact on our economy.

When this 60% of our labor force can afford to live better lives, they will spend more for food, for housing, for the education of their children, for some basic necessities and even some luxuries. Imagine the impact of that on consumption and spending. Imagine how much more money will flow around and pave the way for the creation of more jobs? The possibilities are truly tremendous.

My speech during the launching of Sagip Saka

Magandang umaga sa lahat. Tunay ngang maganda ang ating umaga ngayong araw na ito dahil sa pagtitipon natin ngayon ay binibigyan natin ng bagong buhay ang isang sektor na maaari nating sabihing naghihingalo. Ang ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda ang siyang tunay haligi ng ating bayan. Sa kanila natin nakukuha ang ating mga kinakain sa araw-araw. Sila ang nagtataguyod ng ating ekonomiya sa pamamagitan ng agricultural exports. Kung wala ang ating mga magsasaka, lagi-lagi na lang tayong mag-aangkat ng ating kinakain.

Ang Pilipinas ay isang bansang naka-angkla sa sektor ng agrikultura at pangingisda. Iyan ang katotohanan. Dahil dito, kinakailangang nating ibalik ang pagpapahalaga sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda.

Mahigit sisenta porsiyento (60%) ng ating manggagawa ay nasa sektor ng agrikultura. Halos kalahati ng ating GDP ay nanggagaling sa agrikultura at sa mga industriyang naka- angkla dito.

Hindi natin lubos maisip kung bakit hindi umusad ang sektor ng agrikultura at pangingisda. Sa loob ng tatlumpung dekada, dalawang porsiyento lang ang inusad ng sektor. Hindi nito kayang tugunan ang pangangailangan ng buong populasyon sa bansa. Kaya naman po pala hindi tayo umaasenso. Mahigit sa kalahati ng ating ekonomiya ay hindi umuusad at tila napabayaan na nitong mga nakaraang dekada.

Ang ating mga kapitbahay na mga bansa na Taiwan, Malaysia, South Korea, at Thailand ay kumaripas sa paglagpas sa atin. Tinutukan nila ang modernisasyon ng agrikultura sa kanilang bansa, gayun din ang pag-angat ng estado ng pamumuhay kanilang mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Dito sa atin, naging malakas ang boses ng mga nakaraang liderato, ngunit walang ginawa upang magkaroon ng tunay na pagbabago sa ating sektor ng agrikultura at pangingisda.

Kaya nga ngayon, ako‟y nagagalak na ibalita sa inyo na sa ating sama-samang pagkilos ay nabigyan pansin ang ating pinakamamahal na sektor. Noong nakaraang taon, isinulong natin ang Agriculture and Fisheries 2025 (AF2025), isang adbokasiya na kinakatawan ng iba't ibang sektor na naglalayong magkaroon ng pangmatagalan at klarong direksyon para sa agrikultura at pangingisda sa ating bansa. Isa sa kongkretong resulta ng AF2025 sa pagtulak ng mga adhikain para sa sektor, ngayong taon, 2012 mahigit singkuwenta porsiyento ang itinaas ng budget appropriation para sa agrikultura. At, sa unang pagkakataon matapos ang mahabang panahon, ang ating Agriculture department, sa pangunguna ni Sec. Procy Alcala, ay tunay na nakatutok 'di lamang sa pag-unlad ng ating ani, kundi mas mahalaga, sila ay nakatutok sa pag-unlad ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda sa pamamagitan ng mas mataas na kita at mas matiwasay na pamumuhay. Ang ating tanging masasabi ay: Sa wakas.

Ang hamon sa atin ngayon ay kung paano palawakin ang ating mga nagawa at maisulong pa lalo ang ating mga adhikain.

Ngayong araw na ito, binibigyan natin ng bagong buhay ang sektor sa pamamagitan ng panibagong paraan sa pagharap ng iba't ibang problemang patuloy na humihila sa atin pababa.Tapos na po ang “dating gawi”. Kung dati walang pakialam para sa agtikultura, ngayon tayo ay nagsasama-sama sa iisang layunin. Iyan ay walang iba kundi mapayaman ang ani at bulsa ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda.

Dito pumapasok ang SAGIP SAKA, ang ating adbokasiya na naglalayong makamit ang isang sustainable at modernong agrikultura pati na rin ang pagkakaroon ng food security sa bansa, sa pamamagitan ng pagkupkop ng mga komunidad pang-agrikultura, pagyamanin at iangat ang estado ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda, at punan ang mga pangangailangan ng bawat komunidad. Magsasaka at mangingisda, tunay na mahalaga.

Pito ang natukoy nating mahahalagang haligi ng Sagip Saka. Ang mga ito ay: (1) padaliin ang paraan para magkaroon ng puhunan, (2) magkaroon ng madaling aksesibildad sa merkado (3) infrastructure, (4) pagpapatibay ng pananaliksik at agham, (5) pag-organisa ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda sa pamamagitan ng mga kooperatiba, (6) paniniguro ng kalidad at steady na supply, (7) paghahanda sa climate change.

Sa ngayon, ang inyong lingkod ay naglaan ng P100 million mula sa ating Priority Assistance Development Fund para suportahan ang dalawampu't-apat (24) na pilot agricultural communities. Sa tulong ninyong lahat, nais nating palawakin pa ang proyektong ito hanggang masaklaw natin ang lahat ng farming at fishing communities sa buong Pilipinas.

Nais nating pasalamatan ngayon lahat ng tumaya sa programang ito. Maraming salamat sa Department of Agriculture sa paglalaan ng P20 million para sa Ifugao Rice Terraces, ang pamahalaang lokal ng Cavite sa paglaan ng P5 million para sa ating mga pilot communities sa lugar na yaon, at ang pamahalaang lokal ng Bohol sa paglaan ng P4 million para sa ating Bohol pilot communities. Nananawagan tayo sa iba pang pamahalaang lokal na suportahan ang programang ito at ipakita ang pagpapahalaga sa ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Tunay nga silang mahalaga sa ating komunidad, gayon din sa buong bansa.

Nais din nating ibalita sa inyong lahat ang ating layon na mabuksan muli ang ACEF, ang Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, para maging grants, scholarships, at funding support para sa iba pang komunidad at programa ng Sagip Saka. Kung dati ay puno ng intriga at korupsyon ang ACEF, ngayon ay transparent na ang mga transaksyon sa pamamagitan ng malawak na pagtutulungan ng COCAFM at Department of Agriculture upang masiguro na mapunta ang pondo dun sa nararapat nitong mapuntahan.

Simula lamang po ito ng Sagip Saka. Ang ating layon ay mapayabong ang programang ito upang mas marami pa tayong maabot at matulungan na mga komunidad sa mga susunod pang taon. Hindi po ito abuloy dahil bawat komunidad ng Sagip Saka ay dumaan sa matinding proseso at mayroon tayong mainam na screening process at patuntunan para sa mga beneficiaries. Sinisiguro nating sa bawat komunidad ng Sagip Saka ay mayroong matibay na pagtutulungan ng isa o higit pa ng mga sumusunod: Department of Agriculture at iba pang sangay ng gobyerno, ang business sector, kooperatiba ng magsasaka at mangingisda, civil society organizations at micro-finance institutions, at pamahalaang lokal.

Ang Sagip Saka ay katuparan ng malawakang pagtutulungan ng iba't ibang sektor na nagbibigay halaga sa agrikultura at pangingisda. Hindi ito maisasakatuparan kung wala ang tulong ng Department of Agriculture at iba pang ahensya ng gobyerno, gayon din kung walang tulong mula sa pribadong sektor, mga NGO partners, kooperatiba ng magsasaka at mangingisda, at pamahalaang lokal.

Ang tagumpay ng Sagip Saka ay nakasalalay sa ating patuloy na pagtutulungan at malikhaing pagresolba ng mga hamong tiyak nating haharapin.

Ang tunay na pagsasakatuparan ng ating adhikain sa Sagip Saka ay ang makita nating matiwasay ang pamumuhay ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Isipin niyo na lamang kapag ang sisentang pursiyento ng ating populasyon ay may kayang gumastos sa kanilang iba‟t ibang mga pangangailangan.

Bakit ho sa Thailand, ang mga magsasaka ay nakakabili ng 4 x 4 na sasakyan? Bakit sa atin, ni hindi makabili ng traktor ang ating mga magsasaka? Kung hindi natin pangangalagaan at bigyan ng halaga ang sektor, niloloko lamang natin ang ating sarili na mararating natin ang developed nation status sa loob ng isa‟t kalahating dekada.

Kailangan natin ng panibagong pananaw sa mga hamon sa sektor ng agrikultura. Kinakailangan nating basagin ang lumang persepsyon at pag-iisip pagdating sa pagsasaka at pangingisda. Hindi ito marumi at mahirap na sektor; ito ay maaaring pagmulan ng kayamanan at katiwasayan.

Kinakailangan nating maging mapangahas. Kailangan natin ng rebolusyon sa sektor kung nais natin itong sumulong.

Ang Sagip Saka ay isang rebolusyon ng pag-iisip. Sana'y patuloy ninyo itong suportahan. Simula lamang ito.

Maraming salamat at magandang umaga.