Go vows to promote farmers’ welfare

RIZAL, Laguna, Philippines — Former special assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go has vowed to promote and protect the welfare of farmers. 

Go said the government could provide pension for old farmers out of the tariffs for imported agricultural products. 

“Dapat na may pondo ang gobyerno para sa pension ng mga magsasakang hindi na makapagtrabaho dahil sa katandaan,” Go said at the celebration of the 100th anniversary of this town at the New Civic Center in Barangay Pauli II on Sunday. 

Go also bared his plans to improve farm productivity to uplift the lives of farmers and ensure food security. He cited the opening of more rolling stores that the Department of Agriculture initiated. 

“I will help the government establish TienDA Malasakit stores in various parts of the country,” Go said. “Through these stores, farmers can directly sell their goods to consumers.” 

He said he also wants to provide capability-enhancing programs for farmers and scholarship grants for their children. 

“I’d like to provide farmers easy access to farm inputs, such as machinery, fertilizers, seeds, irrigation and low-interest credit. I’d also like to provide our farmers with free business and skills training,” Go said.

He stressed the need to instill to the youth that being part of the agriculture sector is an honorable and a promising source of livelihood.