Palpak ang sektor ng agrikultura ng bansa at katunayan ay bagsak ang produksiyon nito sa mga nakalipas na buwan kahit na dalawa ang nagtutulungan sa nabanggit na ahensiya.

Ito ang reaksiyon ni Senate President Franklin Drilon sa patuloy na bumababa ang produksiyon kahit na ito ay inaayos na ni Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala at Presidential Adviser on Agriculture Francis Pangilinan.

“I am very alarmed by the dismal figures presented to us by the economic managers insofar as the growth of agriculture sector is concerned. The agriculture sector only grew 0.9 percent in the first quarter of the year, as compared to the 3.2 percent growth registered in the same quarter last 2013, which was still below target,” ayon kay Drilon.

Nauna nang nanawagan si Drilon kay Pangulong Benigno Simeon Aquino III na dapat ay isa lamang ang mamuno kina Alcala at Pangilinan upang mapalakas ang agrikultura.

“I think we really need to have a clear point man and streamline the DA’s bureaucratic system. They have split the agencies into agricultural departments. I strongly suggest that this should be reviewed,” dagdag ni Drilon.

Aniya, sa panukalang P2.606 trillion 2015 national budget, makatatanggap ang Department of Agriculture (DA) ng P88.8 Billion, o 11.1 % na mas mataas sa kasalukuyang P80.0 billion budget ngayong taon o 93% pagtaas mula sa 2010 budget na P47.6 billion.

“For 2015, the government has allotted P25 billion for various irrigation activities, P14.5 billion for the construction of several farm-to-market roads, and P2.2 billion for the promotion of high value crops, P7.0 billion and P2.3 billion for the development of rice and cord industries, respectively,” ayon pa kay Drilon.

Aminado si Drilon na nababahala siya sa patuloy na pagbaba ng produksiyon sa agrikultura, at kung hindi ito maaagapan ay tiyak na lalaganap ang kagutuman sa bansa.

“There is a clear downward trend in the agricultural sector, and it further went down to only one percent this year due to the effects of the past calamities. Two-thirds of the poorest sector in the society belongs to agriculture sector which should not be the case now given the huge support continuously given by government to the agriculture,” paliwanag pa ni Drilon. (Leonel Abasola)