Balitanghali is the daily noontime newscast of GTV anchored by Raffy Tima and Connie Sison. It airs Mondays to Fridays at 10:00 AM (PHL Time). For more videos from Balitanghali, visit http://www.gmanews.tv/balitanghali.
#GMAIntegratedNews #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
#GMAIntegratedNews #KapusoStream
Breaking news and stories from the Philippines and abroad:
GMA Integrated News Portal: http://www.gmanews.tv
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/gmanews
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@gmanews
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gmanews
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/gmanews
GMA Network Kapuso programs on GMA Pinoy TV: https://gmapinoytv.com/subscribe
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00Food and rice sufficiency and the revival of our farmers from El Nino are some of the challenges that the country is facing.
00:09We will discuss that and other big issues in the agriculture sector with Agriculture Secretary Francisco T. Laurel Jr.
00:17Good morning and welcome to Balitang Hari, Secretary.
00:20Good morning to everyone listening. Good morning.
00:24Yes. We will just hear, Secretary, on the recovery of the agriculture sector.
00:29After El Nino.
00:32Well, I expect that the situation will get better because of El Nino.
00:39Whatever we do, if there's no water, it's really difficult.
00:43Now that we have water, we just need to manage it well.
00:48It's better to have water than nothing, right?
00:52Yes, sir.
00:53The DA is providing all the seeds and fertilizers that are needed.
01:00It's being deployed so that during the rainy season, when there's water, we can plant right away.
01:07What about the irrigation problem, Secretary? Do we have concrete solutions?
01:13The NIA and Bureau of Soils and Water Management of the DA are continuing their projects.
01:19I'm fast-tracking all the irrigation projects.
01:24Plus, the NIA is bidding P12 billion to install additional solar irrigation water systems in un-irrigated areas.
01:38This is a big help for our farmers.
01:42Of course, we need more, but at least there's a big fund and equipment that will be installed.
01:50Within this year, it will be implemented.
01:53Secretary, one of the promises of PBBM to the people,
01:58of course, he said that there will be 20 pesos per kilo of rice.
02:04Is there still hope that this will be implemented, Secretary?
02:09We are trying our best to figure out.
02:14We are thinking about this almost every week.
02:17This is the major topic here on how to lower it to the level of 20 pesos.
02:22That's why we started our initial target because it's a step-by-step approach.
02:29So if we can achieve and make sustainable the 29 pesos rice for our disadvantaged, for our Katiwa Center,
02:40then of course, if we can achieve our initial target, then we will try to expand this to try to lower it to 20 pesos.
02:55It involves a lot of things.
02:57This is a whole-of-DA, whole-of-nation approach that is needed.
03:01This is from the price of seeds, from the need for post-harvest, the need for cattle, the need for fertilizer.
03:11We need a higher recovery in drying from 55 percent.
03:17We need to reach 65 to 67 percent.
03:21And then we have to produce more per hectare, not just 4 tons per hectare.
03:26We need to achieve 6 to 7 tons or hopefully 8 tons per hectare.
03:31Then the price will go down if we can achieve all of this.
03:37Secretary, do you think that by the end of the term of our President,
03:41we can achieve the 67 percent that we expect for this to be good news?
03:47That depends. We are trying our best.
03:52The only problem with the government is the bureaucracy of beating out.
03:57That's my biggest issue, the bureaucracy.
04:04We have given funds for this year and next year.
04:07Hopefully, in 2026 and 2027, we will continue to give enough funds to construct everything that we need to do.
04:16Okay.
04:17The so-called rice tariffication repeal in this law, do you think it will help or if it is removed completely,
04:28it will be harmful and we will not be able to provide protection to our so-called rice efficiency?
04:36The rice tarification law will expire soon.
04:40But the position of the DA is that it needs to be continued.
04:44The Congress and the Senate seem to be in agreement, but their direction is not.
04:49I'm hopeful that this will be extended to give more support to our farmers, especially rice.
04:58We need to extend this RTL.
05:02All right. We wish you well sir in all of the plans of the DA.
05:06Thank you for your time in our news this afternoon.
05:09Thank you.
05:11That was Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
05:41Thank you.