President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. will come up with a “farm-to-market road masterplan” to ensure food security in the Philippines.

 

Missing Context

 

During President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA), he mentioned that his administration will come up with a “farm-to-market road masterplan” to ensure food security in the Philippines.

 

While farm-to-market roads are indeed essential parts of agricultural value chains, government data show that there are several perennial reasons apart from roads that point to why agricultural production has been declining in recent years. These reasons include lack of support for production and farm implements, among others.

Rafael Mariano, former agrarian reform secretary, has even called out the move for a “farm-to-market road masterplan.”

 

“[This] directive for the farm-to-market network is a magnet for corruption. Granting farmers with much-needed cash aid and P15,000 production subsidies is more significant and imperative especially within the high cost of production and cost of living,” said Mariano of Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas stressed.

 

While farm-to-market roads can help improve agricultural value chains, it does not address fundamental issues in agricultural production and can even open a new avenue for corruption, as past “pork barrel” issues also include funds allocated for farm-to-market roads. – Princess Jade Flores