00:00Energy Crisis Threats sa Food Security at Job Losses sa Agriculture Sector.
00:05Atin pag-uusapan kasama si Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Asis Perez.
00:10Yusek Perez, magandang tanghali po. Welcome back sa Bagong Pilipinas ngayon.
00:12Magandang tanghali, Sir Joss and Ma'am Weng.
00:16At magandang tanghali po sa lahat na nakikinig at ngunawin.
00:18Okay, Yusek, kumustayin po namin ang inyong assessment ng Agriculture Department
00:23sa epekto po ng global energy crisis sa food security ng Pilipinas.
00:26Well, ngayon, wala pa tayong problema ngayon eh.
00:28We are, you know, very well stocked, so to speak.
00:34Kakatapos lang anong gawin pa yung ating harvest, yung ating dry season harvest.
00:40At actually, yung mga manok nga natin, ang baba ng presyo ngayon, sobrang dami ng manok.
00:45Ganon din yung itlog at saka yung baboy, medyo yung presyo gumagalaw.
00:48Ang isda natin, medyo maganda dahil nga, alam mo, summertime, mura yung isda.
00:54So maganda pa yung sitwasyon.
00:55Ang ina-assess namin, yung possible impact ng, kasi dalawa yun, energy, and then you have, of course, fertilizer.
01:03Okay.
01:04Affected din siya.
01:04And then, of course, the incoming ill ninyo, which is projected to be a strong one.
01:13Medyo nakikita namin, if we don't do, you know, if we do business as usual, talagang malaking impact nun sa
01:19agriculture production.
01:20So, sir, para maunawaan natin, mga kababayang, paano po ba naapektuhan nitong pagtas ng fuel at saka yung logistics cost,
01:27yung presyo ng supply ng mga agricultural products sa bansa?
01:31Number one kasi, ngayon, wala na tayong kalabaw.
01:34So, para makapagbukid tayo, kailangan natin ng fuel.
01:37Eh, yung fuel, three times na.
01:39So, ngayon, lahat ng ating mga gagamitin sa farm, mag-require ng fuel, and it has risen from 50-something
01:48to about 150 now, no?
01:51So, yun.
01:52Pangalawa, yung fertilizer natin, medyo tumaas na ng 900 pesos per sack, no?
01:58From about 2,000 ngayon, almost 3,000 na yung urea, alimbawa.
02:03So, medyo malaki yung impact niya.
02:05And then, of course, we're expecting na because of this increase in production costs, yung iba dito baka magbawas ng
02:13fertilizer, kasi magditipid, o baka naman yung iba, hindi nila mabungkal lahat yung bukid, dahil baka kulangin sila.
02:22Dalawa kasi, minsan, nagkakaroon din ng problema yung hindi makabili ng fuel.
02:27So, yun yung dalawa nating nakikitang epekto, plus yung El Nino.
02:31Kasi, with the El Nino, kailangan mong gumamit ngayon ng pump.
02:35And again, that will require fuel.
02:37Okay. So, in other words, are we looking po sa possible shortage, supply, kung sakasaka di nga magtulit-tulit ang
02:43crisis sa...
02:44Well, if we don't do anything, yes.
02:47Yeah, okay.
02:47Pero hindi naman ganun ang gobyerno.
02:49Kaya nga, we're able to anticipate the challenge.
02:53And this early, we are banking on solutions.
02:56Okay.
02:56Kasi yung ating planting season will start around May, June, and end of July.
03:02So, ngayon pa lang may mga ginagawa na tayo to address those possible challenges that we can now foresee.
03:08Okay.
03:10Okay.
03:12So, what po itong...
03:15Itong bagong food security task force at paano po ito papabilis inaasa, kulangan sa supply ko sa kasaka?
03:26Itong bagong food security task force at paano po ito papabilis inaasa, kulangan sa pagkain.
03:38Itong bagong food security task force at paano po ito papabilis inaasa, kulangan sa pagkain.
03:53And if we are outside ito, it's most...
03:58I would say, challenge.
04:01May mga ilang nanamantala.
04:03So we should be able to monitor that.
04:05And so, we make sure that government is on top of the situation
04:09so that we can address those.
04:10Kasi minsan, kahit na hindi pa dapat tumasa, taas na.
04:13Diba?
04:14And that creates a problem.
04:16And so that is also part of the function.
04:18And then we continue to monitor supply.
04:20And of course, production costs and anything related to production and logistics.
04:26Sir, dahil naman po dun sa delays sa shipping at pagwaba ng presyo sa export markets,
04:31paano po naapektuhan yung kita at kabuhay ng ating mga magsasaka at manggagawa sa agrikultura?
04:37Meron po ba kayong plano kung paano sasagutin na kung mahina yung pag-export,
04:43yung pagkonsumo dito sa mga products natin na hindi siya na bibenta kaagad?
04:48Well, sa ngayon, hindi pa natin nakikita na problema yun.
04:51Kasi ang primary export natin would be coconut.
04:54Of course, you have pineapple, banana, you have of course tuna, yung mga shrimps.
05:04Ito yung mga major products natin na na-export.
05:06Lahat naman ito may sufficient supply tayo.
05:09Although yung tuna, syempre mga pectuan, we can expect that tuna might be affected
05:13because of the increased cost of fuel that we are looking at.
05:17Pero sa ngayon, meron pa tayong in-up supply.
05:19So hindi pa natin problema yun.
05:20But it's the bringing of those logistics.
05:23We understand that DTI is on top of this.
05:27I think the DTI and the shipping group has already discussed this matter.
05:32And they're finding ways to ensure that our exports are able to reach the market destination in time.
05:39Although, syempre, some of this are beyond our control.
05:42Kasi nga, international waterways na pinag-uusapan natin.
05:46Just to be, I was in the hearing last time, na pag-usapan natin.
05:52Kasi marami tayong, may substantial export tayo doon sa Gulf community.
05:57Kasi marami mga Pilipino doon.
05:59Eh, gusto na yung mga Pilipino products.
06:01So yun yung ginagawa ng paraan.
06:03But in other areas like Europe, you know, US, hindi naman tayo masyadong sa tingin koopigtay.
06:07Okay. So mali ba po doon, USSEC, doon sa inaasaan natin possible challenges sa food security,
06:13pagdating naman po sa banta ng job losses sa sektor ng agrikultura, paano po natin pinag-ahandaan?
06:20Well, we were working closely with the Dole al-Bawa.
06:23And of course, it was suggested in the Senate to work alongside with the SWD.
06:30Kasi alam mo, may programa yan na pagka-industress yung mga workers, pwede suportahan.
06:36But we want to do it in such a way that it's production related.
06:40Sa halip na magbibigay tayo, limbawa, ng pondo para parang handating tulong,
06:46eh, gamitin natin pang sweldo so that they can continue producing what they need to produce.
06:50So may productivity. Yun ang ganun gusto namin mangyari.
06:53Okay. So para yung cost to produce is covered partly by government fund, no?
07:00That is to relieve, of course, the owners of additional cost and burden.
07:05Kasi nga, tumas na yung fuel, well, at least kung yung labor cost makukover ng existing program natin,
07:12then makakatulong yun doon sa overall productivity.
07:15So those are some of the items that we're looking at.
07:17So we, I've heard yesterday, I was in General Santos, I spoke to the LGUs, no?
07:24Kahapon, I have, we have about 60 LGUs working.
07:29In Mindanao, kahapon, holiday.
07:31Ang bari biro ko nga, tayo ang tunay na magigitin kasi nagtatrabaho tayo kahit holiday.
07:36Is that the idea now that is coming, this is coming from one of the LGUs.
07:41Sabi niya, yung 20% development fund ko, lalagay ko muna sa, no?
07:45Sa, sa production.
07:47Okay.
07:48And I think this is a good idea.
07:50Part of it will be used, no?
07:51And that's why we're gonna talk to the local government
07:56and see whether portion of their fund can be used for production.
08:00Kasi muna-una eh, pagkain.
08:02Yes.
08:02Kasi anything can stop but not eating.
08:04Yes.
08:06Pwede tayo hindi mamasyal, pero hindi tayo pwede hindi kakain.
08:10At least proactive sila.
08:13So, Yusek, ano naman po yung hamon na kinakaharap sa pagpasok naman ng mga bagong merkado
08:18tulad ng Africa at Europe?
08:20At paano ito tututugunan ng pamahalaan?
08:22Well, we continue to explore markets.
08:28Although, siyempre, yung priority natin, hindi muna outside market.
08:32Yung ano muna tayo, kung maga local requirements muna.
08:36Yan kasi yung nangyayari every time there is a, I'd say, crisis.
08:40The tendency of all countries really is to take care of the road people.
08:43Now, assuming we continue to have excess,
08:47yan talaga ipupus natin na mailabas.
08:48Because ayaw naman natin na masayang itong mga ito.
08:51But continue naman yung ating effort.
08:54Meron kasi tayo ngayon, undersecretary for export,
08:58focusing mostly on agricultural export,
09:01and it's on top of the situation.
09:02We are mindful that our export is directly related to job generation as well.
09:09Kaya hindi natin pwedeng pabayaan ito.
09:11Kahit na sabihin na natin na,
09:13yung pinaprioritize natin, yung ating munang local requirement.
09:16Okay.
09:16Yusek, from your perspective, or from DA's perspective,
09:19Paano po makakatulog yung koordinasyon sa iba pang mga institusyon
09:23para suportahan yung mga apektado yung exporters at pagsasaka?
09:27At baliba po sa mga nabanggit nyo kanina,
09:29ano po yung mga nakahandang tulong o subsidy programs
09:32para maibisan yung epekto ng mataas na gaso sa produksyon?
09:35Well, unang-una, magdadididig tayo ng pondo para sa pangisdaan.
09:38Kasi, yun, kagad.
09:41Naglabas na nga si presidente ng pondo
09:43para mapamigay doon sa ating gasolina ng mga mga isda natin.
09:48Yung ating mga municipal fishers, bunang unahin natin.
09:51Susunod, susubukan natin na magbigay din ng suporta
09:54doon sa ating mga commercial fishers.
09:56And of course, meron din nakahandang suporta
09:59para naman sa additional cost ng gasoline and fuel.
10:02Ito naman para sa mga magsasaka.
10:06And then, of course, bukod pa dito,
10:09yung extension support talaga mahalaga din
10:12na bumababa ng bumababa yung gobyerno.
10:15Kasi, alam mo, ito, ganito yung mga farmer.
10:20Kung sila ay medyo nakakakita ng mga kasama
10:23na taga-gobyerno na aktibong tinitingnan ng kalagayan
10:27and then suggesting solution, providing technical support.
10:31Malaking impact doon.
10:32Kasi it gives them, you know, a sense of hope.
10:36Pinakamahalaga sa ganitong crisis situation
10:38is not just the material thing.
10:41It is the fact that government is looking after that.
10:45And that is what we're trying to do.
10:47So, sir, sa pang-matagalan na, parang looking ahead,
10:50paano naman titiyakin ng DA na magiging resilient yung food supply,
10:54at syempre yung sa ating agriculture,
10:57sa gitna na po ng hinaharap na global crisis
10:59sa energy shocks at geopolitical tensions?
11:02Well, nothing, nothing is much better
11:06than addressing the possibility
11:08of becoming self-sufficient in everything.
11:11Sabi nga nila, in fact, hindi lang self-sufficiency.
11:14If you want to be secure,
11:15you have to produce in excess.
11:17And that is the goal of the department,
11:19to go beyond security.
11:22You have to have more so that you can export.
11:26So, yun talaga yung tatahakin natin.
11:27And to do that, malinaw naman ang plano ng administrasyon.
11:32That's why you see the investment in agriculture
11:34that has never been higher in the last years.
11:38Papapansin natin, pag upo ni Presidente BBM,
11:42tumaas talaga yung share ng budget ng agriculture.
11:46And we are focusing not only on production,
11:49but in the entire agriculture value chain.
11:52So, hindi na tayo ngayon yung tanim ng tanim.
11:55Anong gagawin mo pag tasong matalim?
11:56So, you go now post-harvest.
11:59You go processing.
12:00You go value-adding.
12:02And you make sure that the market is stable
12:05so that your produce eventually are moved to it
12:10in an efficient way.
12:11Kasi if you're only able to manage it in an efficient way,
12:15ang laki ng savings.
12:16And that savings can go to the farmer
12:18and part of the beef.
12:22The inefficiency in production is estimated at 20%.
12:25That's the entire inefficiency in the chain.
12:28So, if you have a 20% inefficiency,
12:31take it out,
12:31then you have 20% savings
12:33that can be shared between, of course,
12:36all the players, including the consumers.
12:37So, ganun ang framework ng Department of Agriculture.
12:41Value chain approach.
12:42That's good to hear po.
12:44At mas sustainable kung baga.
12:45Yes, of course.
12:46Alright.
12:46Well, on that note,
12:47mensahin nyo lang po sa ating mga kubayan
12:49at sa mga apektado sa agri-sector,
12:50higil pa rin po sa kinakaharap.
12:53Ang ating pamahalaan po,
12:55alam natin ang sitwasyon.
12:56The good thing about this is
12:58we know what's likely to happen
12:59and we were able to set up a scenario
13:02what's gonna happen
13:03and how to address them.
13:05Government is very proactive.
13:07That is what we would like to assure,
13:08of course,
13:09our people,
13:10the farmers,
13:11the fisher folks.
13:12Kaya lang,
13:13let's understand,
13:14nobody
13:16is prepared for this.
13:18So we're making great strides
13:20so that we can immediately respond
13:22and we have responded
13:23but again,
13:24kulang pa yan
13:25na susubukan pa natin
13:26ang dagdagan
13:27at mas pabilisan pa.
13:28Maraming salamat po.
13:29Alright.
13:30Maraming salamat po sa inyong oras,
13:32Department of Agriculture
13:33under Secretary Aziz Perez.
13:35Thank you, sir.
13:36Maraming salamat sa pagkakataon,
13:37Aziz and Joseph.
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