MANILA, Philippines — Aksyon Demokratiko presidential candidate Isko Moreno vowed to invest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses but add agriculture to enable Filipino students "to become competitive with other countries and ensure food security."
“If we need our graduates and students to catch up on lost opportunities, then so be it, we’ll invest on it. But let’s move on towards sa goal natin para sa ating mga kababayan para sila maging competitive sa mundo. I've already said that my direction will be that I’ll invest on STEM," he said in mixed Filipino and English.
"But, going around the country, I saw the lives of the farmers who work to bring us food every day. That's why I'm going to turn STEM into STEAM [with the] A for Agriculture."
At the Comelec Presidential Debates on Saturday night, Moreno maintained that reinforcing agriculture courses will ensure that college students taking the course will be better equipped with the technical know-how so they can compete with their foreign counterparts.
Moreno said that if elected president, his administration will pursue a “Life and Livelihood” economic policy to address poverty, unemployment, and inequality through an infrastructure development program under his 10-point Economic Agenda.
“We will invest. Let's give the state universities like in Tarlac. Similar to UP Los Banos. The many state universities in Mindanao can teach agriculture again so that we can have food security because this pandemic has taught us to be careful and produce our own food and not to rely on imported food products,” Moreno said.
"We have to be food sufficient. We ready our students in the future in terms of science and technology and agriculture."
Asked whether he favors a four-day work week amid the unabated increases in prices of diesel and gasoline, Moreno said that will depend on the industry that will be affected.
“If BPO, for example, it can have 1-day work from home. But we have industries that really require physical presence to create more productivity, efficiency in production. For example, there are plants that really need the presence of human resources. In other sectors like BPO, yes, I agree (to a 4-day work week),” Moreno explained.
Moreno assured that once he becomes president, more funds will be allocated to far-flung areas around the country so that people’s lives there will be improved as compared to giving more funds in highly-urbanized cities and regions like Metro Manila.
"The most important economy is the "stomach economy." Food for every Filipino family because this pandemic has opened our minds that we can no longer rely on imported goods that our fishermen, livestock, and planters can produce in the agricultural sector. Food security is the thrust," he said.