Marcos wishes for improved lives of Filipino farmers on his 67th birthday

IT has been a tradition at every birthday celebration that the celebrator will make their wish. It can be a material thing or simply good health, guidance, or a bright future for themselves, their loved ones, and their friends.

For President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., it is to improve the Philippines’ agricultural sector so that Filipino farmers will have better living conditions.

The Chief Executive said this in a media interview in Guimba, Nueva Ecija on Friday, September 13, coinciding with his 67th birthday celebration.

“Madali ‘yung birthday wish, maparami ito. Talagang lahat ng bawat magsasaka sa buong Pilipinas, mararamdaman ang programang ito, at lahat ng programa na ginagawa natin sa Department of Agriculture (DA), lahat ng ginagawa nating na pagtulong ng DBP [Development Bank of the Philippines], lahat ng mga financing institutions,” said Marcos.

“Lahat po, ‘yung buong sistema ng agrikultura, ang birthday wish ko, mabuo na natin, para maganda ang takbo ng sektor ng agrikultura para gumanda ang buhay ng bawat magsasaka, ng kanilang pamilya, at ng bawat Pilipino,” he continued.

The President was in Guimba, Nueva Ecija to launch the “Agri-Puhunan at Pantawid Program (APP),” which will give each Filipino farmer an Interventions Monitoring Card (IMC) to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and farming tools through accredited merchants.

How will APP help farmers?

In a statement, the DA said the APP aims to offer rice farmers and cooperative credit facilities of 50,000 hectares for the dry cropping season from 2024 to 2025.

The program has secured an initial P3-billion funding for low-interest loans and subsistence allowances for farmers.

Farmer beneficiaries who plant rice on one hectare of land will receive a net amount of P58,000, including a P32,000 worth of subsistence allowance.

The subsistence allowance will be divided into four months, with each farmer receiving P8,000 monthly. They will also be covered with crop insurance.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. is confident that the APP will give “a decent higher income for our farmers and provide the government with a stable supply of our staple food.”

“It could also help reduce the volume of rice we import,” he added.

P276.7-M condoned debts

Aside from the APP’s launching, Marcos also led the distribution of Certificates of Condonation with Release of Mortgage (COCROMs) to 6,000 Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs) in Nueva Ecija.

This translated to P276.7-million worth of condoned debts, easing the burden of farmers and helping them recover from the onslaught of recent disasters that hit Nueva Ecija.

“Kami po’y naniniwala na sa pagwawalang bisa ng pagkaka-utang na ito ay giginhawa ang buhay ng ating mga benepisyaryo,” Marcos said.

The government aims to distribute COCROMs to an additional 4,640 ARBs in the province next month.

Nueva Ecija has the most number of ARBs benefitting from the New Agrarian Emancipation Act in Central Luzon.