In 2017 Agriculture Posted Historic 4% Growth; Rice Sufficiency 95% (2nd of 3-Parts)

In 2017 Agriculture Posted Historic 4% Growth; Rice Sufficiency 95%
(2nd of 3-Parts)
In the three short years that I served as Agriculture Secretary from June 30, 2016 to Aug. 5, 2019, Philippine Agriculture posted at least two historic achievements – a sector growth of 4% and the first historic high rice harvest of 19.28-million.
It was during the same period when the country achieved a 95% Rice Self-Sufficiency boosted by the introduction of high-yielding hybrid seeds and good weather for the whole year.
More than these historic records in agriculture, however, I still consider the institutionalization of many programs which I personally designed as my greatest accomplishments.
The most remarkable of these programs were the SAAD or Special Area for Agricultural Development and the Production Loan Easy Access Loaning Program which are now banner programs of the Department of Agriculture.
In answer to questions on what I was able to accomplish in the three short years that I was Agriculture Secretary, here is a list of major programs which were implemented:
1) Launched the Biyaheng Bukid National Consultative Program which brought top officials of the Dept. of Agriculture to the remotest areas of the country for consultations with Agriculture and Fisheries Stakeholders which helped craft effective programs;
2) Designed Masagana 6000 which resulted in the historic high harvest of 19.28-M Metric Tons in 2017 and posted the highest Agriculture Sector Growth of 3.9% also for 2017;
3) Designed and implemented the first Digital Interactive Color-Coded Agriculture Guide Map to help farmers determine what crops to plant in specific areas of the country (www.farmersguidemap.da.gov.ph);
4. Free Irrigation Act. Backed by President Rodrigo Duterte, succeeded in introducing and working for the passage of the Free Irrigation Act for farmers in the service areas of the National Irrigation Administration and in condoning the Irrigation Free Arrears of farmers nationwide amounting to about P6-B;
5) Introduced the Solar-Powered Irrigation System as a program of the Department of Agriculture which was later adopted as a national program of the National Irrigation Administration;
6) Amended the DA Farm Equipment Distribution Program which previously required a 15% Equity from Farmers’ Association and released Billions-worth of farm equipment during the first 6 months;
7) In coordination with the Dept. of Trade & Industry, crafted Road Maps for Rubber, Mango, Coffee, Cacao and Coconut Industry;
😎 Designed and implemented easy access loaning programs including the Production Loan Easy Access (PLEA), the Survival and Recovery Loaning Program and the Agriculture and Fisheries Machinery & Equipment Loaning. The PLEA Program was presented in the United Nations during the launching of the Year of the Farm Family;
9) Designed and implemented the Search for the Cleanest Coastal Towns under the Malinis at Masagang Karagatan Awards;
10) Designed and implemented the Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) Program which seeded the country’s lakes, rivers and creeks with fingerlings of non-invasive fish species;
11) Establed a National Office for the Indigenous People and designed and implemented the first-ever National Program for Agriculture Productivity and Poverty Alleviation in the Indigenous People’s Communities called the 4Ks or Kabuhayan at Kaunlaran ng Kababayang Katutubo;
12) Introduced and implemented as a National Agriculture Productivity and Poverty Alleviation Program the Special Area for Agriculture Development (SAAD) which was started in North Cotabato. The SAAD Program was acknowledged by both the National Economic Development Authority and the Philippine Statistics Agency as having one of the most effective programs of government which reduced poverty in the provinces where it was implemented;
13) Designed and implemented the National Fishing Boat Building Program by the fisherfolk themselves called FB Pagbabago Program which built thousands of Fiberglass fishing boats;
14) Negotiated and succeeded in opening the US and China Market for Philippine Green Coconuts;
15) Introduced the DA TienDA Program which introduced regional products to the big Metro Manila markets and assisted in establishing partnerships between farmers groups and buyers;
16) Initiated the organization of the Philippine Rubber Farmers Association which was the first step in the development and establishment of Rubber Processing and Manufacturing Facilities in Mindanao;
17) Implemented Disease Control Protocols for Avian Influenza following the outbreak of Bird Flu in Central Luzon which was contained after only 45 Days of intensive operations in cooperation with the LGUs;
18) Adopted a strong position opposing the passage of the Rice Tariffication Law which allowed the unimpeded importation of Rice detrimental to the local rice industry and resulting in uncontrolled pricing of rice in the market.;
19) Elected as Chairperson of the 40th Biennial Session of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN-FAO), the first and only Filipino Agriculture Secretary to head the highest agriculture policy making body of the UN;
20) Exemplified transparency and accountability by voluntarily submitting to a Lifestlyle Check by the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) which after a 7-month investigation certified that Sec. Emmanuel F. Piñol did not have unexplained wealth or committed acts of corruption.
#GovernanceIsCommonSense!