The Philippines has done its share in ensuring sufficient supply
of food in the region by enacting laws and carrying out projects that boost
food production, Senate President Franklin Drilon said in Iloilo City on Sunday
(Oct. 4).
In his opening message during the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Blue Economy, Senate President Franklin Drilon said that in the 2015 World Food Security Index, the Philippines ranked 72 out of 109 countries.
The index rated the country's efforts related to food security as "moderate" performance, and this is a significant improvement.
He said that in the previous years, the Philippines had the highest prevalence of food insecurity among Asia's emerging economies.
"The Philippines Congress has done its share by enacting laws to ensure food security. The Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act (AFMA) seeks to develop the agriculture and the fishery sectors and make it more competitive," he said.
Congress also amended the country's fishery code to deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as aligning the Philippines law with international conventions and standards.
On Monday (Oct. 5), Drilon said the Philippine Senate will approve Senate Bill 2923, which declares large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage, a crime that carries heavy penalties including life imprisonment.
Once approved by the House of Representatives this will become law hopefully by the first quarter of 2016, he added.
"We have ongoing programs and projects that promote the conservation of the fishery and aquatic resources and we have provided the appropriate budget for that activity included in the proposed 2016 budget," Drilon said.
The Bantay-Dagat program provides patrol boats for local governments to strengthen their capacity in curbing illegal fishing activities. Fisherfolks are provided training on various technologies in the culture of fish and other aquatic organisms.
The Philippine Development Plan for 2011 and 2016 affirms the significant role played by agriculture and fishery sector in the attainment of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, according to Drilon.
The Senate President also mentioned about the agriculture and fishery situation in the Visayas region, especially in Iloilo.
He said that in the western Visayas, they noted that last year, agriculture, forestry and fishing as a sector, contributed 22 percent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP) although the sector contracted by an average of 2 percent per year for the last three years.
"We hope to arrest this negative growth in our regional agricultural sector by 2020, when we put into operation the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project here in Iloilo," he said.
The dam construction will start by February next year, he said adding that it will be the biggest dam outside of Luzon. It will irrigate over 33,000 hectares of rice lands in Iloilo and will provide an additional 200,000 metric tons of palay per year, which will enhance the country's food security.
He said he is aware of the challenge that threatens food security in the region and APEC discussions here in Iloilo will be an auspicious venue to debate and develop ideas that will address Asia Pacific region's food needs.
In his opening message during the APEC High Level Policy Dialogue on Food Security and Blue Economy, Senate President Franklin Drilon said that in the 2015 World Food Security Index, the Philippines ranked 72 out of 109 countries.
The index rated the country's efforts related to food security as "moderate" performance, and this is a significant improvement.
He said that in the previous years, the Philippines had the highest prevalence of food insecurity among Asia's emerging economies.
"The Philippines Congress has done its share by enacting laws to ensure food security. The Agriculture and Fishery Modernization Act (AFMA) seeks to develop the agriculture and the fishery sectors and make it more competitive," he said.
Congress also amended the country's fishery code to deter and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing as well as aligning the Philippines law with international conventions and standards.
On Monday (Oct. 5), Drilon said the Philippine Senate will approve Senate Bill 2923, which declares large-scale agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage, a crime that carries heavy penalties including life imprisonment.
Once approved by the House of Representatives this will become law hopefully by the first quarter of 2016, he added.
"We have ongoing programs and projects that promote the conservation of the fishery and aquatic resources and we have provided the appropriate budget for that activity included in the proposed 2016 budget," Drilon said.
The Bantay-Dagat program provides patrol boats for local governments to strengthen their capacity in curbing illegal fishing activities. Fisherfolks are provided training on various technologies in the culture of fish and other aquatic organisms.
The Philippine Development Plan for 2011 and 2016 affirms the significant role played by agriculture and fishery sector in the attainment of inclusive growth and poverty reduction, according to Drilon.
The Senate President also mentioned about the agriculture and fishery situation in the Visayas region, especially in Iloilo.
He said that in the western Visayas, they noted that last year, agriculture, forestry and fishing as a sector, contributed 22 percent of the regional gross domestic product (GDP) although the sector contracted by an average of 2 percent per year for the last three years.
"We hope to arrest this negative growth in our regional agricultural sector by 2020, when we put into operation the P11.2-billion Jalaur River Multipurpose Project here in Iloilo," he said.
The dam construction will start by February next year, he said adding that it will be the biggest dam outside of Luzon. It will irrigate over 33,000 hectares of rice lands in Iloilo and will provide an additional 200,000 metric tons of palay per year, which will enhance the country's food security.
He said he is aware of the challenge that threatens food security in the region and APEC discussions here in Iloilo will be an auspicious venue to debate and develop ideas that will address Asia Pacific region's food needs.
The APEC region accounts for two thirds of the world's capture fish production and 80 percent of the world's aquaculture production.
The per capita supply of fish is 65 percent higher than the world average and APEC region consumes 70 percent of the world's fish products, based on available data. (PNA/PCOO News Release)
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