SENATOR Christopher ‘Bong’ Go stressed the need to give more incentives to farmers’ children, such as better scholarship grants, to encourage them to continue farming.

The senator said this will promote agripreneurship and help the country attain food security.

“Kailangan ang mindset nila ay hindi lang ang pagiging magsasaka at mangingisda. Turuan natin sila at iba pang kasapi ng kanilang pamilya sa pagnenegosyo,” Go said.

“Bigyan natin sila ng dignidad na hindi lang sila pangkaraniwang mga magsasaka at mangingisda. Gagawin din natin silang mga negosyante. We must give them free business, skills and technological trainings,” he added.

The senator explained that the government, acknowledging the role of education in national development, ensured greater access to quality education and training through Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act.

Go said that around 1.6 million poor Filipino students are in school without paying for their tuition and miscellaneous fees under the government’s Free Higher Education program.

The senator also cited the need to equip Filipinos with digital literacy, given the increasing use of the internet. He also batted for the promotion of youth-entrepreneurship to polish students’ business skills.

“We must continue also to provide technical and vocational education and skills trainings, through TESDA-MALASAKIT, especially in the fields of tourism, agriculture and fisheries, electrical and electronic, construction and social community development,” Go said.