AKSYON Demokratiko standard-bearer and Manila Mayor Francisco ‘Isko Moreno’ Domagoso pledged to allocate more resources to improve the agriculture sector and food security in the country should he become the next president.

Domagoso said the country should not depend on other countries for food.

“The next government should refocus our resources to ensure food security in the country because we cannot have the same pandemic na aasa tayo na padadalhan tayo ng bigas,” Domagoso said during his visit to the Agricultural Training Institute in Oriental Mindoro.

He emphasized the need to impose higher quality standards on crops to counter the negative effects of the country’s international commitments on rice tariffication.

“If you go and attend to the needs of your people, hindi ka malilito. If we produce our own rice that is enough to buy our own rice at kung hindi tayo makakapalag sa WTO (World Trade Organization) in terms of quantitative restrictions, babanatan naman natin sa qualitative. Doon tayo babawi,” he stressed.

To help farmers and fishermen earn more, the mayor bared his plan to separate the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources from the Department of Agriculture

“Bibiyakin ko ang Department of Agriculture into two departments: one agriculture land-based production, another is bureau of fisheries and aquatic resources for water-based production para ang agriculture sa lupa, naka focus nalang sa lupa. Ang pagkain sa dagat nakafocus nalang sa dagat,” Domagoso pointed out.

“At the same time, the national government also needs to generate more jobs in food production. I don’t want to lose jobs and the only way to protect jobs is walang magsarang negosyo. Para walang magsarang negosyo, wag silang malugi,” he added.