Duterte wants to revive Marcos' agri, fishing programs

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday announced that he would revive late President Ferdinand Marcos’ agriculture and fishery programs.

Describing Marcos as one of the brightest Filipinos, Duterte said he would revive Masagana 99 and Biyayang Dagat which were implemented during the Marcos dictatorship.

“Gusto ko lang kunin yung idea ni Marcos, malayo na ‘yun —  iyong Biyayang Dagat pati Masagana 99. Bright ‘yung tao, alam niya ‘yung [ga]gawin niya ibalik ko ‘yun dahan-dahan ‘pag natanggap kong makuha ko [na budget],” Duterte said during his speech in Tuguegarao City, Cagayan.

Masagana 99 was a program which promoted the planting of Green Revolution varieties of rice developed by the International Rice Research Institute. It increased the production of rice and the country was able to export “bountiful” 99 cavans of rice per hectare, according to previous reports.

On the other hand, Biyayang Dagat is a program for allowing fishermen to loan. Through this project, a study of the Department of Science and Technology revealed that fisherfolk were able to acquire fishing paraphernalia, diversified fishing activities and improved marketing mechanisms and marked capacity to pay for labor. 

Duterte lamented how the two projects were not continued by the previous administrations. He said he ought to revive it using his administration’s budget which prioritizes education, agriculture and health.

“Sayang lang, nanghinayang ako ‘yung kanyang Masagana 99 at Biyayang Dagat kung iyon dinala ng husto yun, OK na tayo,” Duterte said, explaining that tirades of succeeding administrations to Marcos stopped the programs.

The president  said he intends to revive the true function of the Landbank of the Philippines which was to provide financing for lands. He said it has become commercialized.

He also announced the turnover of millions of pesos worth of rice, free corn and vegetable seeds for Cagayan and its capital Tuguegarao in his speech on Sunday. He led the distribution of relief goods and emergency shelter assistance (ESA) to the families affected by the onslaught of Super Typhoon Lawin that devastated Cagayan last Oct. 19, 2016.

Last February, Duterte expressed admiration for Marcos' agriculture and fishery programs. He mentioned Masagana 99 and Biyayang Dagat as the projects which resulted in the halting of food importation in the country.