Let’s give agriculture a face – the Farmers’

 WE’VE been calling the attention of both the Department of Agriculture and our colleagues in media to give the agriculture industry a face – that of the farmers and fishermen being the main stakeholders. For too long, both DA and media refer to losses incurred during calamities as industry statistics in agriculture, NOT losses suffered by our farmers and fisherfolk.

We have been made to read reports with titles “Typhoons-inflicted damage to agriculture in 2019 hit P16-B”, “DA chief says agriculture damage at P1.75-B due to Super Typhoon”, “Agriculture loses P7.66-B due to Super Typhoons Quinta, Rolly”.

Reality check dictates the headlines should be: “Typhoons-inflicted damage suffered by farmers in 2019 hit P16-B”, “DA chief said farmers suffered P1.75-B loss due to Super Typhoon”, “Farmers lost P7.66-B due to Super Typhoons Quinta, Rolly.”

Why we continue to refuse to give agriculture a face, puzzles me. This mindset is reflected at the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development report and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) today. They produce the food for us to consume and survive, yet the acknowledgement of their day to day burden is not acknowledged in macro reference.

As Gilbert F. Houngbo, President of IFAD, said: “Small-scale farmers living on marginal lands are on the frontline of climate change and should have access to the climate finance they need to adapt their production. “

Fortunately in Pangasinan, our provincial government never loses sight of the daily challenges faced by our farmers and fisherfolk. The support is constant, consistent and with specific objectives in mind. The move of the Espino government to hasten the adoption of mechanized farming by farmers backed by efficient irrigation is laudable.

Hopefully, Pangasinan will soon become the most developed agriculture industry in the country because our provincial government realizes it has a face. Take a bow, Governor Amado Espino III and Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya.

 

Judge’s murder

THE cold-blooded killing this week of a Manila lady judge inside her own chamber at 2:54 p.m. is another disgusting case of a major security lapse.  As in all murders, lawyer Amador Rebato Jr., 42, snuffing the life of Judge Ma. Theresa Abadilla, 44, with a 9mm pistol shot in the head was as senseless as the 1983 assassination of Ninoy Aquino.  A police report said Rebato, a clerk of court and a COVID-19 survivor, was “shuddering” while the judge quizzed him about his work before he shot Abadilla was in her chamber “without hesitation and then shot himself dead,” police said.  Abadilla, from Ilocandia, was declared dead on arrival at the Manila Medical Center.  What a waste. Rebato carrying a gun in a government building—a no-no—was a clear breach of security rules. Law enforcers slept on the job?  Paging Manila Mayor Isko Moreno.

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