BBM to continue transport subsidies

‘Trike drivers, operators included too’

PRESIDENT BONGBONG Marcos said the government will continue providing fuel subsidies for the transport sector and the program will be expanded to cover tricycle drivers and operators.

“We have enough budget I think to last for most of this — for this year and a little bit beyond. But we still have to find that money if we’re going to continue,” he said, adding the government’s Libreng Sakay Program will also continue, but only for the students as they go back to school this September.

However, Marcos said the government will have to eventually phase it out because it cannot afford to keep it going, although students in Metro Manila will ride for free on LRT 2, which is going to the university belt.

Agri is priority

Marcos also committed to provide long-term solutions to the problems hounding the agriculture sector as a key to building a strong economy.

The president, who heads the Department of Agriculture in a concurrent capacity, said the agriculture sector has a production shortfall in palay, corn, livestock and fisheries.

“That is why I made agriculture the single, the highest priority of everything that we are doing. Because you cannot build a strong economy unless you have a foundation of a robust agricultural sector, which assures food supply even in emergencies. And that’s what we’re working towards,” he said.

“We need long-term solutions. Solutions that can take care of this problem. We no longer take care of the symptoms, we take care of the disease. And that’s what we are trying to do in agri. We have a ways to go.”

He said part of the short-term solutions include increasing production for the rest of the year, with farmers targeting to plant this last cropping season. Among the thrust is to address gaps in the value chain, which Marcos said already exist in the current system.

Although some of the elements are present, there is a need for integration, according to the president.

“So bubuuin — ‘yan ang gusto nating gawin, buuin natin ‘yun para may savings. When you vertically integrate, ang daming savings all along the line. And that’s — hopefully gets to the point that we can retail these agricultural products at a good price that’s affordable to people. With regard to grain production, the plan is to increase local production,” the president said.

“So if we are able to increase production sufficiently, then hopefully the importation… We really do not… It’s not really an import substitution measure. It is a strategic food supply measure. But of course, if it’s — nagkaka-import substitution, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. So that’s the plan,” he said.

Regarding pork and chicken supply, Marcos said the country has to rely on importation because of the effects of African Swine Fever in the swine industry and high feed cost brought about by the conflict in Ukraine. (Mindanao Examiner)