MANILA, Philippines—Senators Loren Legarda and Pia Cayetano Wednesday sought to recast next year’s proposed P1.541-trillion budget to make it more responsive to disaster mitigation and preparedness.
Both senators said deliberations on the General Appropriations Act of 2010, which will resume on Monday, should focus on giving more funds to programs that will help the country cope with the effects of climate change.
The Senate hopes to pass the budget before adjourning for the Christmas break.
Legarda wants funding for the Climate Change Act of 2009, which she authored. Signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Oct. 23, the act calls for the creation of a Climate Change Commission. It seeks the purchase of more pump boats and other rescue equipment; development of water-submersible crops; and improvement of local area disaster response operations. It also calls for steps to reduce carbon emissions and increase forest cover as risk reduction measures.
Cayetano, on the other hand, called for budget realignments to finance other pro-environment laws and programs.
Cayetano wants to reinstate the P2-billion slash in the proposed budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
In a statement, Cayetano, chair of the Senate committee on social justice, noted that the budget of the DENR had been reduced from P12.9 billion this year to only P10.7 billion in 2010.
The budget cut will affect, among others, existing programs such as watershed rehabilitation, cadastral surveys and biodiversity conservation, she said.
Capital outlays for forest restoration and the acquisition of modern equipment for pollution monitoring and geo-hazard mapping will also be affected, Cayetano said.
Cayetano also wants to see money allocated for the relocation of more than half a million squatters living around waterways in Metro Manila.
She said the government would need P3.2 billion annually in the next 10 years to build 22,689 social housing units to accommodate 545,000 households.
Both Legarda and Cayetano said the recent calamities brought on by Tropical Storm “Ondoy” and Typhoons “Pepeng” and “Santi” should serve as eye openers for the people and the government.
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Source: http://www.inquirer.net/propertyguide/aroundtown/view.php?db=1&article=20091105-234285
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Loren leads signing of commitment against ‘Deadly Trio’
Senator Loren Legarda conducted an on-site public hearing on the disaster wrought by typhoon Ondoy and launched the 2009 Global Assessment Report (GAR) on Disaster Risk Reduction prepared by the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) where it cited three primary reasons that heighten disaster risks from natural calamities, which, in turn, cause poverty in the Philippines to worsen.
The 2009 GAR identified the factors that heighten disasters as poor urban governance, ecosystems decline and the vulnerability of the sources of livelihoods in rural areas.
"The deadly trio of haphazard urban development, ecosystems decline and unstable rural livelihood – individually and in combination – drives disaster risk and provokes catastrophe, especially in poor communities,” said Loren.
Loren’s committee has been holding public hearings at the Senate on the devastations caused by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. She presided over the on-site public hearing in Marikina at Barangay Nangka along the banks of the Marikina River that was the scene of devastation at the height of Typhoon Ondoy. Some of the victims in the area served as resource persons who shared their experiences during the ordeal. The GAR launch was capped by a signing ceremony where participants pledged their commitment themed "Bagong tugon sa hamon ng panahon” to improve urban governance, enhance rural livelihoods and protect ecosystems.
Last week, Loren also led an inspection of Laguna de Bay and neighboring areas, including Lupang Arenda in Taytay, Rizal, which came under water when the bay overflowed.
Comparing the disaster risk management in Japan, where approximately 22.5 million people are exposed annually to typhoons, Loren said that the estimated annual death toll in the Philippines is almost 17 times greater than that of Japan because of our lack of disaster management systems in the form of early warning systems, awareness and preparation.
She added that poor rural livelihoods, dependent on rain-fed agriculture and on a single main harvest for annual food and income, are highly vulnerable to weather fluctuations and hazards, which can lead to crop or livestock loss. Poor and indebted households have little or no surplus capacity to absorb these losses and to recover from extreme weather events.
“Climate change and disaster risks have become one of the greatest challenges to human development the world faces today. About 70 to 80 per cent of disasters have been climate-related,” she said.
Loren stressed that disaster risks will only be reduced if government successfully addresses the three underlying drivers of risk: poor urban governance ecosystem decline, and vulnerable rural livelihoods.
If these drivers are not addressed, climate change will lead to dramatic increases in disaster risk and associated poverty outcomes in developing countries, she said.
“Dealing with climate change and disaster risks decisively is the key to reducing poverty,” she said.
The hearings being conducted by Loren’s committee seeks to identify the gaps in planning, preparation and response to the major devastations wrought by Ondoy in Metro Manila, as well as to set directions for effective disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
The 2009 GAR identified the factors that heighten disasters as poor urban governance, ecosystems decline and the vulnerability of the sources of livelihoods in rural areas.
"The deadly trio of haphazard urban development, ecosystems decline and unstable rural livelihood – individually and in combination – drives disaster risk and provokes catastrophe, especially in poor communities,” said Loren.
Loren’s committee has been holding public hearings at the Senate on the devastations caused by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng. She presided over the on-site public hearing in Marikina at Barangay Nangka along the banks of the Marikina River that was the scene of devastation at the height of Typhoon Ondoy. Some of the victims in the area served as resource persons who shared their experiences during the ordeal. The GAR launch was capped by a signing ceremony where participants pledged their commitment themed "Bagong tugon sa hamon ng panahon” to improve urban governance, enhance rural livelihoods and protect ecosystems.
Last week, Loren also led an inspection of Laguna de Bay and neighboring areas, including Lupang Arenda in Taytay, Rizal, which came under water when the bay overflowed.
Comparing the disaster risk management in Japan, where approximately 22.5 million people are exposed annually to typhoons, Loren said that the estimated annual death toll in the Philippines is almost 17 times greater than that of Japan because of our lack of disaster management systems in the form of early warning systems, awareness and preparation.
She added that poor rural livelihoods, dependent on rain-fed agriculture and on a single main harvest for annual food and income, are highly vulnerable to weather fluctuations and hazards, which can lead to crop or livestock loss. Poor and indebted households have little or no surplus capacity to absorb these losses and to recover from extreme weather events.
“Climate change and disaster risks have become one of the greatest challenges to human development the world faces today. About 70 to 80 per cent of disasters have been climate-related,” she said.
Loren stressed that disaster risks will only be reduced if government successfully addresses the three underlying drivers of risk: poor urban governance ecosystem decline, and vulnerable rural livelihoods.
If these drivers are not addressed, climate change will lead to dramatic increases in disaster risk and associated poverty outcomes in developing countries, she said.
“Dealing with climate change and disaster risks decisively is the key to reducing poverty,” she said.
The hearings being conducted by Loren’s committee seeks to identify the gaps in planning, preparation and response to the major devastations wrought by Ondoy in Metro Manila, as well as to set directions for effective disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Loren Listens to that Still, Small Voice and the Emerging Natural Resource Governance Theory of the Times: The Governance by the Group
“In the midst of all the noise and secret whispers; The interest of a cooperative versus a mayor’s, that of a local party leader needing campaign fund for a political post versus that of a small farmers’ group, in the midst of threats from political interest groups of withdrawal of support if their leaders are not given funds— Whom should I listen to? That still, small voice of God’s spirit should reign supreme. ”
Green vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda declares that she will listen to the voice of the many—in her decision making on crucial matters such as allocation of funds for agriculture and environment. She calls on agricultural cooperatives and other farmers’ associations to prepare themselves as she is bent on passing the National Extension Bill. She said the bill will allot funds for agricultural activities of municipalities through demonstration farms on communal irrigation systems (CIS), high-yielding and climate-change tolerant crop varieties and environmentally safe inputs, use and maintenance of agricultural machineries and equipment as well as teaching the farmers and fisherfolk how to access credit and market their products.
“This is the best way I know how to turn around our agricultural performance. We have to teach our farmers and fisherfolk how to farm and fish in the most productive and sustainable way. And we have to channel our resources to the farm management mechanism that will integrate fragmented landholdings to attain economies of scale in production and marketing. We have to believe that human beings can work through a team or collaborative action. This is why Elinor Ostrom, a political scientist, is now the Nobel Prize winner, because of her belief that those who manage the commons can have reason to work together for the benefit of the majority.”, Loren said.
“Maybe Ostrom’s victory is a sign that we should heed her policy imperatives in managing our natural resources. We should work collaboratively. And we should give incentives for people to work together—I challenge the Cooperative Development Authority to study the work of Elinor Ostrom and know the secret of the most successful irrigation system the country has ever produced—the irrigation of the rice terraces—and other such collaborative systems in natural resource management in the world. Maybe we should also think of collaborative action by families. Plato thought the “kaibigan and kamag-anak” system is the root of all evil so he built his imaginary state on the foundation of communal governance of the republic among the guardians who do not know their children. The Chinese thought that was unnatural and built their economy on filial piety. The Chinese is now an economic giant. The Filipinos love their families, that is natural, therefore we should not fight it. And like the Chinese, we are Asians, we are not the individualistic Westerners in whom Adam Smith built his theory of individualism in the 1800s”, Loren theorized.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/
Green vice presidential candidate Loren Legarda declares that she will listen to the voice of the many—in her decision making on crucial matters such as allocation of funds for agriculture and environment. She calls on agricultural cooperatives and other farmers’ associations to prepare themselves as she is bent on passing the National Extension Bill. She said the bill will allot funds for agricultural activities of municipalities through demonstration farms on communal irrigation systems (CIS), high-yielding and climate-change tolerant crop varieties and environmentally safe inputs, use and maintenance of agricultural machineries and equipment as well as teaching the farmers and fisherfolk how to access credit and market their products.
“This is the best way I know how to turn around our agricultural performance. We have to teach our farmers and fisherfolk how to farm and fish in the most productive and sustainable way. And we have to channel our resources to the farm management mechanism that will integrate fragmented landholdings to attain economies of scale in production and marketing. We have to believe that human beings can work through a team or collaborative action. This is why Elinor Ostrom, a political scientist, is now the Nobel Prize winner, because of her belief that those who manage the commons can have reason to work together for the benefit of the majority.”, Loren said.
“Maybe Ostrom’s victory is a sign that we should heed her policy imperatives in managing our natural resources. We should work collaboratively. And we should give incentives for people to work together—I challenge the Cooperative Development Authority to study the work of Elinor Ostrom and know the secret of the most successful irrigation system the country has ever produced—the irrigation of the rice terraces—and other such collaborative systems in natural resource management in the world. Maybe we should also think of collaborative action by families. Plato thought the “kaibigan and kamag-anak” system is the root of all evil so he built his imaginary state on the foundation of communal governance of the republic among the guardians who do not know their children. The Chinese thought that was unnatural and built their economy on filial piety. The Chinese is now an economic giant. The Filipinos love their families, that is natural, therefore we should not fight it. And like the Chinese, we are Asians, we are not the individualistic Westerners in whom Adam Smith built his theory of individualism in the 1800s”, Loren theorized.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/
Monday, November 2, 2009
Loren calls for climate change sensitive 2010 budget
As Vice Chair of the Committee on Finance and as Chair of the Committee on Climate Change, Sen. Loren Legarda vows to make sure that the budget for fiscal year 2010 will give utmost priority to addressing the issues of climate change and disaster risk reduction.
“The 1.541-trillion budget for next year was formulated by the Executive Department before the super typhoons hit our country, killed hundreds of our people, destroyed millions worth of properties and infrastructure, and devastated our people’s main sources of livelihood,” Legarda said.
In the President’s budget message, priorities were given to infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, poverty reduction, and good governance. “This is the first time that the Executive Department has given priority to environment and climate change in its budget preparations. But we must make sure that funds for these priority concerns are properly utilized and disbursed.”
“Now that the Senate Committee on Finance is finalizing its committee report on the general appropriations bill, we must re-evaluate and recast government priorities so that our agencies and local government units will be better equipped and our people will be better prepared for impending typhoons and calamities that may once again strike our country.”
First and foremost, the 2010 GAA must incorporate funding for the implementation of the Climate
hange Act which was signed into law on October 23, 2009 long after the President’s National Expenditure Program was submitted to Congress. Loren, principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 9729, pushes for the full implementation and funding of the landmark legislation. The new law mandates the development of a framework strategy and local action plans on climate change.
The Climate Change Act provides for the creation of the Commission on Climate Change that will be the sole policy-making body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans of the government relating to climate change
“We should protect our agricultural and fishery sector by first providing for the identification of the Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones or SAFDZs that would delineate the biophysical properties of agri and fisheries areas including climate change adaptabilities of crops, poultry and livestock. The zones will also be the physical planning base for agri and fisheries programs and should be guarded against conversion, destructive activities like excessive quarrying and mining, forest fires, overfishing and other illegal activities in coastal areas. Second , we should enable and empower local government units to determine and prepare for their own disaster mitigation through strong counterparting of funds for agricultural and fisheries activities by correcting the inequity in salaries of local extension workers and devolving the wherewithals of extension that have been kept by the national government since the passage of the Local Government Code. But to strengthen this budgetary provision, we should pass the National Extension Bill before the passage of the GAA. Third, we should allow the farmers to produce the country’s buffer stock—especially in times of calamities—and lessen dependence on imported food to enable them to determine and produce for their—and the country’s— needs as we enter the liberalization regime in ASEAN. , Fourth, we should provide for the National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System—to ensure that the curriculum in all ladders of education strategically incorporate climate change in lifelong learning. Fifth, we should ensure that the farm-to-market roads are strategically networked in production and marketing routes and are quality-controlled to last typhoons and floods through the preparation of an Agriculture and Fisheries Infrastructure Plan. Sixth, we should identify the Basic Needs Communities in agricultural and fisheries areas to focus on the distinct basic needs intervention for the impoverished producers of our food whether in times of calamities or in between harvests. And seventh, we should ensure that the food our people eat are safe at all times by providing for a strengthened food-safety regulations in the Department of Agriculture (DA). And seventh, we should ensure that the 2010 budget should implement all the provisions of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) through an adequate monitoring budget. Included in the monitoring is putting in place and implementing a planning-programming-budgeting system for AFMA which I—as chair of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries— have already asked the DA to follow.
“We should also provide more efficient health services for our people, particularly Hospitals and health facilities that are Safe from Disasters because these are frontline facilities when floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and earthquakes strike. We have learned from bitter experiences in the past that many are adversely impacted because safety measures in hospitals were not integrated in their design, construction and functionality. Provisions for medicines and vaccines should also be allocated for the potential outbreak of diseases like leptospirosis borne by typhoons.”
The 2010 GAA should likewise provide for the implementation of environment protection programs that will help our local communities prevent, prepare for and minimize the potential risks they will have to suffer from the same severe weather patterns that we are experiencing now. Loren is keen on finding a budget for green jobs and resilient livelihoods to be able to offer diversified income opportunities to the most vulnerable populations to climate change in the rural areas.
Specifically, Loren wants to develop rural livelihoods through agro-forestry. There is a way to improve the livelihoods of our people in the countryside while at the same time protecting the environment and adapting to climate change.
According to Loren, “unutilized and marginal lands can be planted with trees, such as rubber trees, which can be a source of income for Filipinos. ”
“If there’s one important lesson that we must learn from the super typhoons that ravaged not only our countryside, but Metro Manila as well, it is that the government, both at the national and local levels, must draw up preventive measures so that our people and our communities will remain safe and protected.”
“The 2010 budget must not be maintenance budget. Waking up from the country’s vulnerability to disasters and climate change, next year’s budget must be instrumental in financing our climate change work to save lives and livelihoods. The 2010 budget will reveal if our leaders and decision-makers in the government have learned to finally mainstream climate change in the budgeting process. ”
Source:
http://lorenlegarda.com.ph/
http://balita.ph/2009/11/05/lawmaker-supports-move-to-realign-2010-budget-to-fund-climate-change-programs/
“The 1.541-trillion budget for next year was formulated by the Executive Department before the super typhoons hit our country, killed hundreds of our people, destroyed millions worth of properties and infrastructure, and devastated our people’s main sources of livelihood,” Legarda said.
In the President’s budget message, priorities were given to infrastructure, agriculture, education, health, poverty reduction, and good governance. “This is the first time that the Executive Department has given priority to environment and climate change in its budget preparations. But we must make sure that funds for these priority concerns are properly utilized and disbursed.”
“Now that the Senate Committee on Finance is finalizing its committee report on the general appropriations bill, we must re-evaluate and recast government priorities so that our agencies and local government units will be better equipped and our people will be better prepared for impending typhoons and calamities that may once again strike our country.”
First and foremost, the 2010 GAA must incorporate funding for the implementation of the Climate
hange Act which was signed into law on October 23, 2009 long after the President’s National Expenditure Program was submitted to Congress. Loren, principal author and sponsor of Republic Act 9729, pushes for the full implementation and funding of the landmark legislation. The new law mandates the development of a framework strategy and local action plans on climate change.
The Climate Change Act provides for the creation of the Commission on Climate Change that will be the sole policy-making body of the government tasked to coordinate, monitor and evaluate the programs and action plans of the government relating to climate change
“We should protect our agricultural and fishery sector by first providing for the identification of the Strategic Agriculture and Fisheries Development Zones or SAFDZs that would delineate the biophysical properties of agri and fisheries areas including climate change adaptabilities of crops, poultry and livestock. The zones will also be the physical planning base for agri and fisheries programs and should be guarded against conversion, destructive activities like excessive quarrying and mining, forest fires, overfishing and other illegal activities in coastal areas. Second , we should enable and empower local government units to determine and prepare for their own disaster mitigation through strong counterparting of funds for agricultural and fisheries activities by correcting the inequity in salaries of local extension workers and devolving the wherewithals of extension that have been kept by the national government since the passage of the Local Government Code. But to strengthen this budgetary provision, we should pass the National Extension Bill before the passage of the GAA. Third, we should allow the farmers to produce the country’s buffer stock—especially in times of calamities—and lessen dependence on imported food to enable them to determine and produce for their—and the country’s— needs as we enter the liberalization regime in ASEAN. , Fourth, we should provide for the National Agriculture and Fisheries Education System—to ensure that the curriculum in all ladders of education strategically incorporate climate change in lifelong learning. Fifth, we should ensure that the farm-to-market roads are strategically networked in production and marketing routes and are quality-controlled to last typhoons and floods through the preparation of an Agriculture and Fisheries Infrastructure Plan. Sixth, we should identify the Basic Needs Communities in agricultural and fisheries areas to focus on the distinct basic needs intervention for the impoverished producers of our food whether in times of calamities or in between harvests. And seventh, we should ensure that the food our people eat are safe at all times by providing for a strengthened food-safety regulations in the Department of Agriculture (DA). And seventh, we should ensure that the 2010 budget should implement all the provisions of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (AFMA) through an adequate monitoring budget. Included in the monitoring is putting in place and implementing a planning-programming-budgeting system for AFMA which I—as chair of the Congressional Oversight Committee on Agriculture and Fisheries— have already asked the DA to follow.
“We should also provide more efficient health services for our people, particularly Hospitals and health facilities that are Safe from Disasters because these are frontline facilities when floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and earthquakes strike. We have learned from bitter experiences in the past that many are adversely impacted because safety measures in hospitals were not integrated in their design, construction and functionality. Provisions for medicines and vaccines should also be allocated for the potential outbreak of diseases like leptospirosis borne by typhoons.”
The 2010 GAA should likewise provide for the implementation of environment protection programs that will help our local communities prevent, prepare for and minimize the potential risks they will have to suffer from the same severe weather patterns that we are experiencing now. Loren is keen on finding a budget for green jobs and resilient livelihoods to be able to offer diversified income opportunities to the most vulnerable populations to climate change in the rural areas.
Specifically, Loren wants to develop rural livelihoods through agro-forestry. There is a way to improve the livelihoods of our people in the countryside while at the same time protecting the environment and adapting to climate change.
According to Loren, “unutilized and marginal lands can be planted with trees, such as rubber trees, which can be a source of income for Filipinos. ”
“If there’s one important lesson that we must learn from the super typhoons that ravaged not only our countryside, but Metro Manila as well, it is that the government, both at the national and local levels, must draw up preventive measures so that our people and our communities will remain safe and protected.”
“The 2010 budget must not be maintenance budget. Waking up from the country’s vulnerability to disasters and climate change, next year’s budget must be instrumental in financing our climate change work to save lives and livelihoods. The 2010 budget will reveal if our leaders and decision-makers in the government have learned to finally mainstream climate change in the budgeting process. ”
Source:
http://lorenlegarda.com.ph/
http://balita.ph/2009/11/05/lawmaker-supports-move-to-realign-2010-budget-to-fund-climate-change-programs/
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Loren, Loren Sinta
During Loren’s Luneta rally, my investigative reporter James Macaquecquec reported that he overheard Loren asked someone, “Where’s the money?” But James wasn’t sure if Loren meant to say, “Where’s Manny?”
Well, Manny has been singing, “Loren, Loren sinta, madami akong pera kaya sa akin ka na lang pumunta.” (Loren, Loren my love, I got lots of money so come to me.) Like they say, “Follow the scent of money.”
Manny must be out of tune!
Now that Sen. Loren Legarda has declared her intention to seek a higher office in 2010, faultfinders will surely be a common sight everywhere, everyday and every time waiting every opportunity to distort every word that comes out of Loren’s and construe every move of the lady senator.
Take for instance the Luneta rally of Senator Loren Legarda where she enumerated her 6-point agenda before a throng of supporters.
How come one overheard Loren saying, “Where’s the money?” or “Where’s Manny?” amidst a thunderous applause, yelling and excitement of thousands of people listening to her speech?
Maybe Loren was actually saying, “People are so many! Too many!” Faultfinders can simply twist the truth. Many people were at the Luneta to follow the ‘scent of a woman’.
If Manny has been singing, “Loren, Loren sinta…” while sniffing the scent of money, he must be singing out of tune.
Well, Manny has been singing, “Loren, Loren sinta, madami akong pera kaya sa akin ka na lang pumunta.” (Loren, Loren my love, I got lots of money so come to me.) Like they say, “Follow the scent of money.”
Manny must be out of tune!
Now that Sen. Loren Legarda has declared her intention to seek a higher office in 2010, faultfinders will surely be a common sight everywhere, everyday and every time waiting every opportunity to distort every word that comes out of Loren’s and construe every move of the lady senator.
Take for instance the Luneta rally of Senator Loren Legarda where she enumerated her 6-point agenda before a throng of supporters.
How come one overheard Loren saying, “Where’s the money?” or “Where’s Manny?” amidst a thunderous applause, yelling and excitement of thousands of people listening to her speech?
Maybe Loren was actually saying, “People are so many! Too many!” Faultfinders can simply twist the truth. Many people were at the Luneta to follow the ‘scent of a woman’.
If Manny has been singing, “Loren, Loren sinta…” while sniffing the scent of money, he must be singing out of tune.
Friday, October 30, 2009
LOREN, An Iron Butterfly
She maybe a butterfly, yes, but Loren Legarda is not the kind of butterfly sashaying around the sweet and scented political garden like most nectar sucking bees do to advance their own political end.
Maybe she is more than a butterfly to many presidentiables that’s why she is sandwiched in their tug of war. Maybe majority of local chief executives in the provinces are convinced that a tandem with Loren Legarda will make the chances of administration bet bloom like wild flowers in the polls.
Like a butterfly, Loren Legarda exudes a magnetic field to flora and fauna in the political arena. Maybe because of her ironed and principled nature as a person that she has always been lured to join from one party to another. They believed and respected the credibility and advocacy of Loren - that is the simple equation.
Now, that she is orphaned by the sudden decision of her party mate Chiz Escudero and presidential hopeful to bolt NPC, Loren is geared up like an iron butterfly to rally her party mates in the NPC.
In this time of uncertainty and adversity, we need a decisive and respected individual to lead this country. We need an iron butterfly that can pollinate the democratic vineyard and adapt to a changing environment not noisy buzzing bees swarming around to pollute the minds of the people and extract them dry.
Maybe she is more than a butterfly to many presidentiables that’s why she is sandwiched in their tug of war. Maybe majority of local chief executives in the provinces are convinced that a tandem with Loren Legarda will make the chances of administration bet bloom like wild flowers in the polls.
Like a butterfly, Loren Legarda exudes a magnetic field to flora and fauna in the political arena. Maybe because of her ironed and principled nature as a person that she has always been lured to join from one party to another. They believed and respected the credibility and advocacy of Loren - that is the simple equation.
Now, that she is orphaned by the sudden decision of her party mate Chiz Escudero and presidential hopeful to bolt NPC, Loren is geared up like an iron butterfly to rally her party mates in the NPC.
In this time of uncertainty and adversity, we need a decisive and respected individual to lead this country. We need an iron butterfly that can pollinate the democratic vineyard and adapt to a changing environment not noisy buzzing bees swarming around to pollute the minds of the people and extract them dry.
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Loren urges for more government support for local agriculture to compete
PASSI CITY, Iloilo, Oct. 29 - Sen. Loren Legarda today urged for more government support and “safety nets” for agricultural industries, including sugar, in the light of the free trade agreement among members of the Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN).
Loren made the appeal in the light of the of the signing of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) during the 14th ASEAN Ministers’ summit in Thailand on February 26, 2009, drastically lowering tariffs on agricultural products like rice and sugar in ASEAN trade.
“The industry needs to brace itself for the impact of trade liberalization within the ASEAN,” said Loren, referring to the agreement. While the objective is to establish a free flow of goods in the ASEAN market, Philippine agricultural products like sugar and rice will be placed at a disadvantage in the short run because of their being uncompetitive.”
The Philippines is the world’s biggest rice importer, importing rice mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, while the Philippines’ sugar production has been on a decline.
“Economic integration can be a two-edged sword. There is hope that our commitments to the ATIGA will provide the impetus for our industries to align themselves along areas of competitive advantage in the long run. However the adjustment process in the immediate term is quite worrisome, especially in the light of the impending fiscal crisis and the havoc wreaked on our agriculture by the recent natural disasters,” said Loren.
Addressing the 39th annual meeting of the Jalasig Sugarcane Planters Association here, Loren, who is the chair of the Senate committee on food and agriculture, warned that unless “we succeed in listing sugar in the highly sensitive list, tariff on imported sugar under the AFTA will be slashed from 38% to 28% in 2010.
“Even if we succeed, the measure will provide only transitory relief. Beyond the short term, our government needs to overcome the utter neglect that has characterized its past performance, and provide real safety nets and support mechanisms that will help agriculture become competitive. That is my vision for the sugar industry, and for Philippine agriculture as a whole.”
The Philippines is also negotiating with Thailand for a 35 percent tariff on rice imports, while Thailand wants the Philippines to cut the tariff to 20 percent. This would place the local rice industry under a graver threat from more massive rice importations as the world’s largest importer of the staple.
Lower tariffs on Philippine agricultural products would place them at a disadvantage in competition with similar products from ASEAN countries because of the higher cost of local agricultural production. This would give less incentive for Filipino farmers to produce more to cover the local market.
In the case of the sugar sector, Loren noted that there has been a decline in sugar production.
“I understand that this year has been relatively benign for the domestic sugar industry. Philippine Sugar Millers Association President (PSMA) Archimedes Amarra said that we already completed shipments to US on March 20, 2009 and by the end of 2009 we could ship to the world market 100,000 metric tons. He assures us that that there is enough supply to cope with the demand even though production has been declining due to high input costs.
“Actual sugar production at 2.197 million metric tons has enabled the country’s ending inventory of domestic sugar to regain reasonably normal levels. However this is a big dip from the 2007/2008 crop year output of 2.45 million metric tons …”
Loren said that as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, she had initiated measures aimed at reshaping government policy towards agriculture.
“At the end of my term, I hope to leave behind a legacy that will promote competitiveness in agriculture. This legacy consists of three major pieces of legislation, namely the Agricultural Extension Bill, the Agri Agra Bill which has already passed the Bicameral Conference Committee, and the reorientation and restructuring of the budget of the Department of Agriculture,” said Loren.
Under the agricultural extension bill which she is sponsoring, Loren hopes to further strengthen and expand agricultural extension aid to farmers by providing more incentives such as higher salaries and more technical equipment to the country’s 20,000 extension workers. These workers spread more knowledge and technical expertise to farmers in improving their production.
The Agri-Agra bill would provide more credits to farmers and agricultural workers through the private commercial banks by amending the presidential decree currently governing such loans, enabling banks to provide easier credits to agriculture.
Loren wants to provide more budgetary support to critical areas of agriculture and fisheries to increase production and provide more income farmers and fisherfolk.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1256796881.html
Loren made the appeal in the light of the of the signing of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) during the 14th ASEAN Ministers’ summit in Thailand on February 26, 2009, drastically lowering tariffs on agricultural products like rice and sugar in ASEAN trade.
“The industry needs to brace itself for the impact of trade liberalization within the ASEAN,” said Loren, referring to the agreement. While the objective is to establish a free flow of goods in the ASEAN market, Philippine agricultural products like sugar and rice will be placed at a disadvantage in the short run because of their being uncompetitive.”
The Philippines is the world’s biggest rice importer, importing rice mostly from Vietnam and Thailand, while the Philippines’ sugar production has been on a decline.
“Economic integration can be a two-edged sword. There is hope that our commitments to the ATIGA will provide the impetus for our industries to align themselves along areas of competitive advantage in the long run. However the adjustment process in the immediate term is quite worrisome, especially in the light of the impending fiscal crisis and the havoc wreaked on our agriculture by the recent natural disasters,” said Loren.
Addressing the 39th annual meeting of the Jalasig Sugarcane Planters Association here, Loren, who is the chair of the Senate committee on food and agriculture, warned that unless “we succeed in listing sugar in the highly sensitive list, tariff on imported sugar under the AFTA will be slashed from 38% to 28% in 2010.
“Even if we succeed, the measure will provide only transitory relief. Beyond the short term, our government needs to overcome the utter neglect that has characterized its past performance, and provide real safety nets and support mechanisms that will help agriculture become competitive. That is my vision for the sugar industry, and for Philippine agriculture as a whole.”
The Philippines is also negotiating with Thailand for a 35 percent tariff on rice imports, while Thailand wants the Philippines to cut the tariff to 20 percent. This would place the local rice industry under a graver threat from more massive rice importations as the world’s largest importer of the staple.
Lower tariffs on Philippine agricultural products would place them at a disadvantage in competition with similar products from ASEAN countries because of the higher cost of local agricultural production. This would give less incentive for Filipino farmers to produce more to cover the local market.
In the case of the sugar sector, Loren noted that there has been a decline in sugar production.
“I understand that this year has been relatively benign for the domestic sugar industry. Philippine Sugar Millers Association President (PSMA) Archimedes Amarra said that we already completed shipments to US on March 20, 2009 and by the end of 2009 we could ship to the world market 100,000 metric tons. He assures us that that there is enough supply to cope with the demand even though production has been declining due to high input costs.
“Actual sugar production at 2.197 million metric tons has enabled the country’s ending inventory of domestic sugar to regain reasonably normal levels. However this is a big dip from the 2007/2008 crop year output of 2.45 million metric tons …”
Loren said that as chairperson of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, she had initiated measures aimed at reshaping government policy towards agriculture.
“At the end of my term, I hope to leave behind a legacy that will promote competitiveness in agriculture. This legacy consists of three major pieces of legislation, namely the Agricultural Extension Bill, the Agri Agra Bill which has already passed the Bicameral Conference Committee, and the reorientation and restructuring of the budget of the Department of Agriculture,” said Loren.
Under the agricultural extension bill which she is sponsoring, Loren hopes to further strengthen and expand agricultural extension aid to farmers by providing more incentives such as higher salaries and more technical equipment to the country’s 20,000 extension workers. These workers spread more knowledge and technical expertise to farmers in improving their production.
The Agri-Agra bill would provide more credits to farmers and agricultural workers through the private commercial banks by amending the presidential decree currently governing such loans, enabling banks to provide easier credits to agriculture.
Loren wants to provide more budgetary support to critical areas of agriculture and fisheries to increase production and provide more income farmers and fisherfolk.
Source: http://www.lorenlegarda.com.ph/article-1256796881.html
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