Upland agricultural productivity

It was Sun Tzu who wrote in “The Art of War” that “the whole secret lies in confusing the enemy so that he cannot fathom our real intent.” I want to give President Rodrigo Duterte the highest grade for succeeding in confusing the minds of his political opponents on many issues. He must be such a Machiavellian genius capable of confusing his adversaries that, in the process of his scheming ways, he has also succeeded in making millions of Filipinos confused as to become stupid. Yet, to his credit, he seems to get away with it.

Let me use as an example the issue associated with the West Philippine Sea. Initially, Duterte touched our nationalistic fervor with a promise, pronounced on national television, that he would assert our territorial rights over the islands in what was previously known as the South China Sea. He even gave that promise an added color and drama by committing to ride on a jet ski and plant the Philippine flag in the presence of these Chinese invaders. Then, when recently the president told us that his jet ski fiction was just a joke and those who were convinced that it was his solemn oath were all stupid, many of us foolish Filipinos laughed at our own stupidity. And while we were laughing, he again turned around to say that he would die like a hero to assert our territorial rights, which joke he colored with his brand of believability! My goodness.

The other day, I was requested to share insights on parliamentary procedure as applied to the sessions of city and municipal councils in a seminar held in a posh resort in San Remegio town. During a break, I received a call from a long lost-friend. He warmed my heart in telling me that he has been reading my column, especially my critique against the Duterte administration. He made me smile all the more when he fully agreed with my May 27 write-up suggesting to the leaders of Cebu City to reprise appropriating another billion pesos to support agricultural endeavors in the city’s upland as a counter to whatever cataclysms that might hit us. But, my caller said that he rather wanted to read some probable specifics to my suggestion than chastise the president for his unpalatable joke. I yield to a friend.

I like to believe that our elected leaders have ideas better than what I proposed in my article last Thursday. To be sure, their concepts on agricultural productivity (for our mountain barangays) are far more profound than what little I wrote. After all, they are supposed to know our peoples’ resources, capabilities and limitations. But, since I promised my caller friend that I would expand my thought on that matter, for whatever worth it might have, I dare to expose my incompetence.

The city established, decades ago, an office for the development of our upland areas. Perhaps, an ordinance reorganizing it and giving it more responsibilities to embark on an agricultural development program is ideal. The office shall be funded sufficiently to acquire agricultural equipment, tools, and implements and provided with enough personnel. In its upgraded set up, it should be tasked to identify lands left idle by their owners for reasons of lack of financial resources needed for cultivation. These are the lots targeted for support for the obvious reason that according to President Ramon Magsaysay “those who have less in life must have more in law”.