Benguet solon urges DA: Restudy programs

By March Fianza

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Department of Agriculture was recently asked to redirect its programs to become more responsive to the plight of farmers in vegetable-producing communities in Benguet and other agriculturally-based provinces in the Cordillera Region.
Part of this is for the DA to restudy its position on trade and agricultural agreements that were signed with other countries.

In an interview last week, Benguet Representative Ronald M. Cosalan said the national government in the past has been signing multi-lateral agreements and bilateral agreements without consulting communities affected by these contracts.

“The concerned line agency and even Malacanang has not been properly consulting the agricultural and farming sector by including their products as part of the agreements,” Cosalan said.

Apparently, the plight of Benguet farmers was already brought to the attention of DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala in a meeting last month.

The lawmaker lamented the fact that farmers only came to know of the agreements after these were already signed.

In June of 2008, the United States signed an agreement with the DA, the objective of which was to advance agricultural cooperation, productivity and management of sustainable natural resource through science and technology collaboration.

This resulted to the approval by government officials of the planting of biotechnology food crops such as corn and eggplant that are expected to become “hotly discussed” issues in congress within the next few months.

Earlier in 2006, the controversial Japan – Philippines Economic Parnership Agreement (JPEPA) was signed.

However, non-government sectors in collaboration with members of the legislature criticized the agreement.

They said any supposed benefit for increased pineapple and banana exports to Japan would go to corporations and their local business partners who own and run the plantations in the Philippines, not to small or landless Filipino farmers.

Small farm workers in the Philippines were always the last to find out about new agreements that affected their conditions, the Benguet solon said.

“Even if our products are only a minuscule part of the agreement, we should be consulted,” congressman Cosalan who represents an agriculturally-based province said.

Cosalan said the DA secretary has also discussed with him initial strategies to stop the importation or entry of smuggled vegetables into the country.

As an initial step, Cosalan and Sec. Alcala talked about first finding out the volume of smuggled vegetables and thought of the creation of an anti-smuggling task force for vegetables.

Relative to improving the plight of Benguet and Cordillera farmers, Sec. Alcala pledged an initial amount of P200 Million for the construction of a multi-purpose trading post for Benguet vegetable farmers in Manila.

Cosalan confirmed that he has talked to Caloocan Mayor Enrico Echeverri who readily agreed to segregate at least one hectare for the trading post facility within a 33-hectare lot near the North Expressway.

“This will definitely support President Noynoy’s program on the construction of post-harvest facilities all over the country which he mentioned in his first State-of-the-Nation-Address,” Cosalan said. – marchfianza777@yahoo.com