Give Arthur Yap a chance

That is the problem with working for the administration of Ate Glue. People tend to declare you guilty by association. The logic behind the labeling is simple: if you are so honorable, why are you working for them. I think the prejudgment is unfair. If honorable people (like Gary Teves, for instance) abandoned public service out of fear that people would think less of them, paano na ang bayan?

I don’t claim I know Arthur Yap that well but the few times we have talked to each other, he impressed me as being intelligent and most important, sincere. I must warn, however, that I may be clutching at straws here because I have this desperate desire to find some good people in government if only to reassure myself that all is not lost.

With Art Yap, I get the feeling that he has some good ideas that would help get the agricultural sector on the fast track to development. But I do worry that political demands on his job may compromise his integrity at some point, out of sheer loyalty to his former professor. It has happened before.

The point raised by some noisy supposedly farmers groups about Art Yap being the future Joc Joc Bolante is unfair, yet you can’t blame them (or even me) from worrying even a tiny bit. But I am trying to push that fear factor to the back of my mind. I am convincing myself that Art Yap, loyal as he is to Ate Glue, is not going to damage his reputation and do a Joc Joc.

Also, think what you may of Ate Glue, but I want to believe she is intelligent enough to have learned her lesson. She won’t sacrifice a loyal lieutenant like Art Yap to satisfy greedy pork hungry politicians after what happened to Joc Joc… I hope.

I once sat in a presentation of Art Yap on his plans for the development of agriculture in Northern Luzon, his special assignment in the Cabinet. He refers to this region as the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle. It covers 10.3 million people or about 13.5 percent of total country population. This is the region that produces 37 percent of our rice, 25 percent of our corn and 65 percent of our vegetables.

Properly harnessed, the North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle could indeed, be a powerhouse. Art noted proximity to China, Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. It should be able to export directly to these countries if the ports and airports in the region are modernized to handle international trade. First of all however, Art has to make the produce of this region globalization competitive.

With the various farmer groups in the region screaming for tariff protection for their onions, garlic and other produce, it is obvious that there is much work to be done to make them competitive. Art Yap acknowledges that problem and his answer is the program he has launched that would help the farmers compete.

If Art is half successful in that area, consumers in Metro Manila are also going to benefit. It is all about taking care of our supply chains, Art declares. In the past, government encouraged farmers to produce and poured resources like fertilizer and super seeds for the purpose. But government always forgot about marketing. Without it, harvests rot or middlemen screw farmers on pricing and eventually, farmers go bankrupt.

Art Yap thinks managing the supply chain well is the answer. Storage, processing and transport are important aspects of Art Yap’s plans. His stint with the National Food Authority has made him realize the value of helping farmers store their products properly while waiting for the right time to bring them to market. He points out that cutting post harvest losses should greatly diminish our need to import agricultural products like rice.

Art wants to make farmers a little more resistant to the demands of traders and middlemen who under price them at farm gate. He wants to implement "direct linkage activities" that would make it easy for farmers to bring their produce to processors, to wet markets, supermarkets and rolling stores. Direct linkage lowers the prices of commodities to consumers and increases the value farmers get from their produce.

How do we get started in helping the farmers? We have to put in the needed infrastructure. Art Yap is not just talking roads and irrigation systems even if these are also on top of his to-do list. He is talking post harvest facilities like refrigerated trucks and refrigerated storage to help the vegetable farmers of Benguet, for example, get the best prices. He also wants to protect farmers from the kotong cops in the highways.

Now, Art will have to expand his view from just North Luzon to the whole country. But with the way his mind works, I think his new assignment is even better for the country. He can look at the big picture and make resource allocations more efficiently. He also carries the entrepreneurial genes of a Chinoy, and that should come in handy in making viable businessmen out of farmers.

Ding Panganiban has done a lot of work to improve farm productivity. Now, Art Yap segues in to do what needs to be done next… managing the supply chain from the farm to the market. I would say, Ate Glue did the right thing in moving Art back to the Department of Agriculture. But as always, the plans are great. Arthur Yap has to deliver. And no excuses, please!

Initiative

This must really be the season of hope. The Supreme Court’s junking of the so called "People’s Initiative" shows there are enough good men and women (mostly, women) to overcome the forces of ambition. The narrow victory is not surprising. Lucky for us, there were enough justices who were willing to be counted in preventing a haphazard amendment of the Constitution.

Then again, the battle is far from over. There is still a potential motion for reconsideration, and more extreme pressures exerted this time. Since they have all the money to fund their mischief, the cha cha proponents should be expected to have more tricks up their sleeves.

More than anything, the High Court decision reassures us that the Supreme Court, as a constitutional institution still works. There were high profile attempts to corrupt the High Court but all that were resisted, even if only by the slimmest margin.

At a time when the Executive and Legislative branches seem to be conspiring to usurp all powers in the hands of one woman, the Panganiban Court at least made it clear it will not be part of any such plan. The worse thing we can have is a rubber stamp court, like we had during the martial law days. Freedom loving citizens must remain vigilant. It could happen even without formal declaration of martial law if justices are corrupted by politicians with promises of high appointment and other perks. Sila ay tao lamang din.

Talking frog

Reader Joji Villaescusa sent this classic joke.

A grandfatherly senior citizen was walking through the park one day when he heard a voice say, "Pick me up."

He looked around but didn’t see anyone within hearing distance. Then he heard the voice again, "Down here!"

He looked down and to his surprise, he saw a bullfrog!

FROG: "If you kiss me I will turn into a voluptuous, beautiful maiden, who will fulfill all your sexual fantasies."

The old man thought about it for a moment, then picked up the frog but instead of kissing it, put it in his pocket.

FROG: "Are you nuts? Didn’t you hear what I said?!?"

OLD MAN:"I heard you clear, but at my age, I would rather have a talking frog for company."

Boo Chanco’s e-mail address is [email protected]