SENATE President Vicente Sotto III said that a government led by Senator Panfilo Lacson will be prepared to buy at least 50 percent of the total agricultural output of Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.

Sotto said the original idea for this intervention came from Partido Reporma secretary-general and Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib, who implemented a similar program in his province.

“‘Yung isang programa namin para sa mga magsasaka, mangingisda, lahat ng output 50 percent bibilhin ng gobyerno sa presyo ninyo… Wala na ‘yung mga middleman,” Sotto said.

By cutting out the middlemen, food prices will be competitive without affecting the potential earnings of farmers and fishermen, according to the senator.

Sotto explained this plan has been incorporated into their Budget Reform Advocacy for Village Empowerment or BRAVE agenda, which will be their flagship program should he and Lacson win.

At the core of the BRAVE policy is the rationalization of the entire budget process where local government units will have better funding for their programs.

“‘Pag inilagay mo ang pera sa mga probinsya, basta ‘yun ang mando, kung ano lang ang paggagamitan. Merong menu. Hindi naman puwedeng kung saan-saan mo gagamitin, ‘di ba? Merong menu na magagamit,” Sotto said.