BALANGA CITY, Bataan – Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala on Saturday announced the government’s target of attaining self-sufficiency in rice in the country but also said that non-rice-eating Filipinos should not be forced to eat rice.
“Maraming nagtaas ng kilay nang sabihin nating magkakaronng rice self-sufficiency ang ating bansa,” Alcala said during his dialog with farmers and fishermen of Bataan at the Bulwaganng Bayan in Balanga City.
Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III and brother Rep. Albert Garcia of Bataan’s Second district led in welcoming the former congressman from Quezon.
Report showed that the country has drastically lowered its rice importation from 2.2 million metric tons in 2010 to 800 metric tons down to the present 500 MT with zero rice importation target in 2013.
“Sa rice production, inaayos natin ang mga irigasyon at patuloy nating tinutulungan ang mga magsasaka sa paggamit ng hybrid at certified palay seeds bukod pa sa ibang mga tulong na inihahanda ng pamahalaan para sa kanila,” the secretary said.
Alcala said increase in rice production to attain self-sufficiency is part of government’s food staple sufficiency program. He explained that while attending to rice self-sufficiency, government is also focusing on other staple food for more than 14 million Filipinos.
He said that the staple food for the people of Batanes is camote, for parts of Zamboanga and Tawi-Tawi cassava while 14 million Filipinos in the Visayas and parts of Mindanao have corn grits as their principal food.
“Why force them eat rice?,” the agriculture secretary said. Instead, he said the Department of Agriculture is assisting non-rice-eating areas by producing better corn, cassava, camote and other main food.
Alcala advised farmers to embark on additional livelihood projects like sheep and goat-raising. For fishermen, he said that with the plan of government to rehabilitate Manila Bay, this will mean the planting of more mangroves. He said fishermen will be tapped for this project and soon can embark in the raising of crabs.
He said he has visited many areas in the Visayas and Mindanao to hear concerns from farmers and fishermen and give solutions as per instruction of Pres. Benigno Aquino III.
The secretary handed a P1-million check to the city government of Balanga and a Plaque of Recognition to city agriculturist Nerrisa Mateo. Balanga was among 15 municipalities in the country chosen as “Rice Achiever.”
The provincial government received 250,000 tilapia fingerlings and a 27-footer patrol boat.
Alcala directed heads of agencies under him like the National Irrigation Administration to act fast on the concerns raised by farmers.
