(File photo) MANILA - The Philippines can be rice self-sufficient in two years if the government succeeds in "reorganizing" the Department of Agriculture (DA) and its attached agencies, President Ferdinand R. Marcos said Wednesday. During a meeting with officials of the DA and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Malacanang, Marcos said he was briefed about the state of the country's irrigation system. He said it was during the meeting that he and DA and NIA officials agreed on a "timeline" of steps that need to be taken to achieve their goal of self-sufficiency. "Sa aming calculation, kung magawa natin lahat ng kailangang gawin kasi marami tayong kailangan ayusin, marami tayong ire-reorganize -- pero kung magawa natin lahat 'yan (Based on our calculations, if we can do everything we need to do, because there's a lot that needs to be fixed, there's a lot to reorganize -- but if we accomplish them all), we will be close to self-sufficiency for rice in two years," he said in a video released by the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) to reporters. Marcos said reorganization efforts require cooperation, convergence and coordination with other agencies such as the DA, NIA, Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). "There's a great deal of work to do pero nakikita na namin kung papaano gagawin (but we can see how we're going to do it). So that's what we will work on for now," he added. Earlier, the PCO Secretary Cheloy Garafil announced that Marcos has sought the implementation of a program that will promote the use of hybrid rice varieties to help increase crop production in the country following his meeting with executives of SL Agritech Corp. (SLAC) and farmer representatives from Central Luzon in Malacanang. During the meeting, Garafil said the SLAC, led by its chairperson and chief executive officer Henry Lim Bon Liong, proposed the conversion of about 1.9 million hectares of rice farming areas planted with certified seeds (CS) to enable the planting of hybrid seeds in four years. "President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday agreed to adopt hybrid rice as a better alternative to the inbred variety for increased crop production. President Marcos said he will implement a program to promote the shift by providing subsidies and facilitating loan financing to farmers," she said. Garafil said Marcos also pledged to apply the "best" practices being done by Central Luzon farmers to other areas in the country as part of efforts to strengthen support for rice farmers. Increasing rice production Currently, the PCO said that the government has been implementing strategies to increase rice production, such as convincing irrigators associations (IA) and farmers to plant hybrid rice seeds, adopting alternate wetting and drying as a water-saving technology for irrigated lands, harvesting in September during the wet season, and ratooning after harvesting during the wet season. Ratooning is the agricultural practice of harvesting a monocot crop by cutting most of the above-ground portion but leaving the roots to allow the plants to recover and produce a fresh crop in the next season. These strategies are meant to complement the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) program which aims to improve the competitiveness of farmers amid the liberalization of the rice trade policy. The RCEF program was created under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law. Likewise, the NIA is implementing several measures to develop the Philippine irrigation infrastructure through public-private partnerships (PPPs) on irrigation infrastructure development, climate-proof infrastructure, flood control management and massive reforestation of NIA-supervised watershed areas. NIA earlier received a total investment pledge of more than PHP1 trillion from potential private partners, which would allow it to pursue its irrigation projects without the restriction of limited funding. As of Dec. 31, 2021, only 2.04 million hectares (ha), or 65 percent of the country's potential irrigable area of 3.13 million hectares, had been developed, benefitting around 1.5 million farmers with irrigation. However, around 1.09 million ha (35 percent) of the remaining areas still need to be developed. (PNA) }
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Manila , Philippines , Malacanang , Antique , Ferdinandr Marcos Jr , Ferdinandr Marcos , Cheloy Garafil , Bon Liong , Department Of Agriculture , Sl Agritech Corp , Department Of Public , Development Authority , Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund , National Economic , National Irrigation Administration , Presidential Communications Office , President Ferdinand , Public Works , Central Luzon , Henry Lim Bon Liong , Republic Act , Rice Tariffication , Ile Photo Manila The Philippines Can Be Rice Self Sufficient In Two Years If Government Succeeds Quot Reorganizing Department Of Agriculture Da And Its Attached Agencies , Resident Ferdinandr Marcos Said Wednesday Duringa Meeting With Officials Of The Da And National Irrigation Administration Nia In Malacanang , Arcos Said He Was Briefed About The State Of Country 39s Irrigation System It During Meeting That And Da Nia Officials Agreed Ona Quot Timeline Steps Need To Be Taken Achieve Their Goal Self Sufficiency Sa Aming Calculation , Ung Magawa Natin Lahat Ng Kailangang Gawin Kasi Marami Tayong Kailangan Ayusin , Arami Tayong Ire Reorganize Pero Kung Magawa Natin Lahat 39 Yan Based On Our Calculations , F We Can Do Everything Need To , Ecause There 39 Sa Lot That Needs To Be Fixed , Here 39 Sa Lot To Reorganize But If We Accomplish Them All , E Will Be Close To Self Sufficiency For Rice In Two Years , Uot He Said Ina Video Released By The Presidential Communications Office Pco To Reporters Marcos Reorganization Efforts Require Cooperation , Onvergence And Coordination With Other Agencies Such As The Da , Cia , Epartment Of Public Works And Highways Dpwh The National Economic Development Authority Neda Quot There 39 Sa Great Deal Work To Do Pero Nakikita Na Namin Kung Papaano Gagawin But We Can See How Re Going It So That 39s What Will On For Now , Uot He Added Earlier , He Pco Secretary Cheloy Garafil Announced That Marcos Has Sought The Implementation Ofa Program Will Promote Use Of Hybrid Rice Varieties To Help Increase Crop Production In Country Following His Meeting With Executives Sl Agritech Corp Slac And Farmer Representatives From Central Luzon Malacanang During , Arafil Said The Slac , Ed By Its Chairperson And Chief Executive Officer Henry Lim Bon Liong , Roposed The Conversion Of About 1 9 Million Hectares Rice Farming Areas Planted With Certified Seeds Cs To Enable Planting Hybrid In Four Years Quot President Ferdinandr Marcos Jr On Tuesday Agreed Adopt Asa Better Alternative Inbred Variety For Increased Crop Production Said He Will Implementa Program Promote Shift By Providing Subsidies And Facilitating Loan Financing Farmers , Uot She Said Garafil Marcos Also Pledged To Apply The Quot Best Practices Being Done By Central Luzon Farmers Other Areas In Country As Part Of Efforts Strengthen Support For Rice Increasing Production Currently , He Pco Said That The Government Has Been Implementing Strategies To Increase Rice Production , Uch As Convincing Irrigators Associations Ia And Farmers To Plant Hybrid Rice Seeds , Dopting Alternate Wetting And Drying Asa Water Saving Technology For Irrigated Lands , Arvesting In September During The Wet Season , Nd Ratooning After Harvesting During The Wet Season Is Agricultural Practice Of Harvestinga Monocot Crop By Cutting Most Above Ground Portion But Leaving Roots To Allow Plants Recover And Producea Fresh In Next These Strategies Are Meant Complement Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund Rcef Program Which Aims Improve Farmers Amid Liberalization Trade Policy Was Created Under Republic Act 11203 Or Tariffication Law Likewise , He Nia Is Implementing Several Measures To Develop The Philippine Irrigation Infrastructure Through Public Private Partnerships Ppps On Development , Limate Proof Infrastructure , Lood Control Management And Massive Reforestation Of Nia Supervised Watershed Areas Earlier Receiveda Total Investment Pledge More Than Php1 Trillion From Potential Private Partners , Hich Would Allow It To Pursue Its Irrigation Projects Without The Restriction Of Limited Funding As Dec 31 , 021 , Nly 2 04 Million Hectares Ha , R 65 Percent Of The Country 39s Potential Irrigable Area 3 13 Million Hectares , Ad Been Developed , Enefitting Around 1 5 Million Farmers With Irrigation However , Round 1 09 Million Ha 35 Percent Of The Remaining Areas Still Need To Be Developed Pna ,
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