DA asks Congress to pass farm-friendly measures

MANILA, Philippines- The Department of Agriculture is backing the congressional approval of at least eight farm-friendly measures, including the proposed amendments to the Agri-Agra law that would help pump more loanable funds into the farm and fisheries sector. In a statement, DA Secretary Arthur Yap expressed the hope that legislators would be able to pass these bills once Congress resumes session following its yearend break. The DA has also supported the approval of several agriculture-related measures, including the bill extending the life of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) to 2015, which was passed last February. “We are backing anew the congressional approval of amendments to the Agri-Agra Law, as well as six other measures meant to further modernize the agriculture sector, raise incomes for small farmers and fisherfolk, and ensure our nation’s food security and sufficiency in the long haul," Yap said. Amendments to the Agri-Agra Law, on the other hand, would help ease the rural credit squeeze, Yap said, by plugging loopholes that have allowed commercial banks to buy government securities in lieu of setting aside 10 percent of their loanable funds for agrarian reform as mandated by this law. Yap welcomed earlier the approval of this measure by the House agriculture committee chaired by Rep. Abraham Kahlil Mitra. In February, Philippine agriculture got a much-needed infusion of P7.4 billion in extra funds in 2008 alone following President Arroyo’s signing of the law extending the ACEF"s lifespan to 2015. The ACEF is a key element in helping the DA significantly reduce postharvest losses that cut back on agricultural productivity and farm incomes. Under RA 8178, the Fund’s entire proceeds should be earmarked by Congress for irrigation, farm-to-market roads, postharvest facilities, credit, research and development, retraining, extension services and marketing infrastructure in the agriculture sector. The DA also urged Congress to pass pending bills restructuring the National Food Authority (NFA) and creating the Magna Carta for agricultural workers. Yap added that Congress must immediately act on a long-pending legislative measure that will spell out a national land use policy to regulate the conversion of farmlands for non-food uses. Pending legislative measures in both chambers of Congress—Senate Bill No. 76 filed by Senator Loren Legarda and House Bill 3175 authored by Rep. Antonio Cerilles---aim to categorize lands either for agricultural production, human settlements, infrastructure development or as protected areas. The Department is also backing four more bills, namely those extending the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP); establishing a land use code; creating a Trade Representative Office to help unify the government’s fragmented approach to trade; and promoting a green Philippines . Before its yearend break, Congress had passed a joint resolution extending CARP for six months till June 2009 to give time for lawmakers to review the implementation of this program and study the proposed passage of a new CARP law. The DA is supporting the financial and corporate restructuring of the NFA to help bankroll a multibillion-peso national grains highway that would further boost farm productivity, raise rural incomes and help the government achieve its food sufficiency goals in the medium term. Yap said new funding for this agricultural logistics artery will be used in part to repair and upgrade non-functioning NFA warehouses nationwide for use by farmers in 2,000 rice-clustered areas and 1,000 corn-clustered areas across the country. GMANews.TV