Quizzing senatorial candidates

T o achieve true agriculture transformation, we need the commitment not only of presidential candidates, but also of those vying for senatorial posts. This is because the President needs the appropriate legislative leadership from senators to implement meaningful change.

In 2010, Alyansa Agrikultura (AA) met with presidential candidates to determine if they would implement the agriculture transformation we needed. There were two weaknesses: the meetings did not discuss specific points, and little was known by people outside AA what the candidates were promising. Consequently, there was no significant change in agriculture governance.

For 2016, a different strategy was used. The AA, representing mostly farmers and fisherfolk, helped form AgriFisheries Alliance (AFA). They agreed on six specific priorities that the presidential candidates should address. In addition, they wanted more people to know about their promises.

AFA made arrangements with a major daily newspaper to provide front page coverage for the candidates, specifically on their opinions on the six identified priorities. Unfortunately, all declined, except one. We later learned that since agriculture was not a major campaign issue, the candidates felt unprepared.

The same lack of competent attention has characterized the last five and a half years.

New approach

For 2022, key leaders of AFA together with various stakeholders identified not just priority areas, but 12 specific recommendations for immediate action.

The candidates were given these recommendations six months before the elections, allowing them to study the issues and come up with corresponding views.

The results have turned out to be better than expected. The candidates studied the 12 recommendations carefully. They agreed in general to implement these recommendations, stating improvements for some and reservations for others.

Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso was interviewed on Nov. 21; Vice President Leni Robredo, Nov. 29, and former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, Dec. 6.

By Dec. 8, the Facebook views have already reached 52,000 for Moreno, 81,000 for Robredo and 229,000 for Marcos. Labor leader Leody de Guzman did not get a significant number of views. Senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao had other priorities and could not participate in the interviews.

The organizers’ objective of agriculture getting priority in the campaign, and consequently in the next government, was partially fulfilled. There were subsequent statements given by the candidates on their agriculture recommendations discussed during the interviews on television, radio, print and social media.

In the end, however, the elected president can only do so much sans the support of the legislative branch.

Next up, senatorial candidates will also be interviewed. They, too, will have to be quizzed on their positions and reservations on the 12 recommendations.

The series of interviews will start next week until the elections. This will keep agriculture as a priority issue throughout the campaign. It will hopefully translate into decisive agriculture action from those elected into the new government.

Subject to their schedules and acceptance, the initial list of senatorial candidates are: Loren Legarda and Richard Gordon on Jan. 10, Francis Escudero and Alan Cayetano on Jan. 31 and Miguel Zubiri and Risa Hontiveros on Feb. 21. Their interviews will be from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

The first interview can be accessed via Zoom ID: 844-5382-5281 (passcode: agri2022). All past, present and future interviews of the Agri 2022 Online Forum can be accessed through facebook.com/agri2022ph.

The author is Agriwatch chair, former secretary of presidential programs and projects and former undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry. Contact him through [email protected].