President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. met again with the Agriculture Sector lead and members of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC) to help provide solutions and improve the agriculture sector. They revisited the recommendations of the Council and discussed the programs that would benefit all local farmers and fisherfolk.
The PSAC Agriculture Sector reexamined progress on the interventions during the first 100 days of the Marcos administration which include the digitalization of agriculture through a scaled up government e-cloud, increased internet accessibility and speed, and improving the fisheries sector productivity.
The sector also called for the increase of Laguna Lake fish production, mobilization of coco levy and sugar appropriation funds through the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), and prioritization of research and cane variety improvements for sugar production.
Other short and long-term recommendations include the tapping of agri-tech platforms, using Brazilian technology to increase sugarcane production, reviewing NFA policies and structure to enable the agency to operate as a logistics hub, accelerating the replanting of coconut trees, and measures to further control African Swine Fever in order to revive the swine industry.
The PSAC recommendations aim to respond to critical issues in agriculture and support President Marcos’ call to accelerate efforts in improving the country’s agricultural sector and help both farmers and fisherfolks.
In the meeting, the President was joined by PSAC convenor and Aboitiz Group CEO Sabin Aboitiz along with PSAC Agriculture Sector Lead La Filipina Uy Gongco Group President and CEO Aileen Christel Ongkauko, other Sector members including Century Pacific Group President and CEO Christopher Po, Frabelle Fishing Corporation President and CEO Francisco Kiko Laurel Jr., Universal Robina Corporation President and CEO Irwin Lee, Gaya Lim Farm Inc. owner Ramon “Jojo” Lim, and the Secretariat and Communications Leads Aboitiz Group’s Mary Geraldine Polanco-Onganon, Ginggay Hontiveros and La Filipina Uy Gongco Group’s Cherrylene Advincula.
Also in the meeting were PMS Secretary Zenaida Angping, Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Flores Panganiban, Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operations Engr. Arnel de Mesa, Bureau of Animal Industry Officer-in-Charge and Director Dr. Reildrin Morales, National Food Authority Administrator Atty. Judy Carol Dansal, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Officer-in-Charge Nestor Domenden, PCA Administrator Benjamin Madrigal Jr., SRA Administrator David John Thaddeus Alba, Environment Secretary Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga, Environment Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and International Affairs Atty. Jonas Leones, and Laguna Lake Development Authority General Manager Jaime Medina.
