DAVAO CITY, Philippines – President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) that he delivered on his promise of providing “bente pesos na bigas” (rice sold at ?20-a kilo) without sacrificing the state of the farmers.
“Napatunayan natin na kaya na natin ang bente pesos sa bawat kilo ng bigas nang hindi malulugi ang mga magsasaka,” he boasted during his SONA last Monday, July 28.
Outside of Batasang Pambansa, thousands including farmers and fisherfolk, held their rallies that presented what they called the true state of the nation. A similar rally was also held in Davao City.
The farmers in the rally, and even economists, all question the token reforms made by the Marcos Jr administration, as farmers and food production have suffered with the lack of substantive programs to boost agriculture.
Sonny Africa, executive director of IBON Foundation, questioned how the ?20-per-kilo rice distributed in the government’s Kadiwa Stores is sustainable to millions of consumers.
“The ‘Benteng Bigas Meron na’ gimmick is barely enough to give ?20 rice to the country’s 5.6 million hungry families (according to SWS) for 3 weeks — and leaves most of the country’s 14.1 million poor families to feed themselves,” the economist noted.
In a story from the Philippine Daily Inquirer, scientist Teodoro Mendoza from the University of the Philippines and Science Director of the Community Legal Help and Policy Center said the bente pesos bigas created “so much injustice”, as farmers are forced to sell palay for only ?8 to ?12 per kilo, which makes farmers barely earning from their toil.
Marcos Jr has promised to allot ?113 billion to the Department of Agriculture to operate its 162 Kadiwa stores nationwide.
But Danilo Ramos, chairperson of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), said in a story in Bulatlat that despite huge government spending on rice, farmers in Bulacan only earn as low as ?55 a day during harvest.
The farmer leader also pointed out to the reality that rice prices in the market have risen to an average of ?44 per kilo since Marcos assumed office.
“Palay production has not increased, farming costs have not decreased, but the price of palay in the provinces has fallen even further. Who will not lose?” lamented Ramos.
Economists also question the claim by Marcos Jr that his administration supported 8.5 million farmers and fisherfolk in production.
“Magsimula ang Administrasyon, mahigit walo at kalahating milyong magsasaka at mangingisda ang nakatanggap ng tulong,” Marcos said in his SONA.
Low production
Africa points at government’s economic data that showed agricultural production under Marcos only saw 0.2% growth.
“(This is) far below Duterte’s 1.2%, Aquino’s 2.1%, and the 3.6% historical average since 1947,” the economist said.
“The government’s deprioritization of the sector in the 2025 budget proves that feeding the nation isn’t a priority, and Filipinos are paying the price,” he added.
Economist Andrew Masigan in his column in Philippine Star also points out how Marcos Jr failed to address systemic problems including profiting by middlemen and smuggling.
“The main impediments remain unaddressed. These include an ill-conceived land reform law; the squeezing out of farmers’ profits by traders and middlemen; the undercutting of local producers by rampant smuggling, among others,” he said.
The president’s boast of intercropping that includes bananas, pineapple, coffee, and onions has not impressed Leo XL Fuentes, coordinator of Masipag Mindanao.
“Truth remains that Filipino farmers suffer the brunt of costly production inputs due from hybrid seeds and petro-chemicals,” Fuentes said.
No land reform
Marcos Jr reported of having distributed over 203,000 land titles for 198,200 agrarian reform beneficiaries, and the cancellation of over ?2.16 billion in unpaid amortication from farmers
But KMP sad recipients continue to struggle with “flawed and contested” CLOAs or land titles, and only 14% of the targeted beneficiaries have received such certificates, indicating the slow progress of the program.
They also said about two-thirds of the CLOA awarded to farmers were parcelized, or split from previous CLOA titles awarded to collectivized farm groups or associations, and Marcos Jr simply distributed these to individual farmers.
Ramos said there are still many unresolved agrarian cases, widespread land-use conversions and revocation of previously awarded land to farmers.
“Fact remains, 7 out of 10 Filipino farmers remain landless,” Fuentes said.
Progressive groups appraised the fourth SONA of Marcos Jr as unrealistic and “anti-people” as no concrete reforms are addressing the people’s issues such as food security and production.
They also fear that the President’s call to “invest in Filipino” may translate to more land conversions and displacement.(davaotoday.com)
