SUC land to be used for raising seeds

MANILA, Philippines — Fertile lands owned by state universities and colleges (SUCs) would be tapped for raising seeds for high-value crops and increasing farmers’ output, President Marcos said yesterday.

In his speech in Bacolor, Pampanga, Marcos also asked local government units (LGUs) to adopt disaster-mitigating measures to reduce destruction of crops from super typhoons.

The Chief Executive was in Bacolor to distribute certificates of land ownership and certificates of condonation with release of mortgage to nearly 2,500 agrarian reform beneficiaries.

Marcos said tapping unused lands of SUCs for seedling production was part of the recommendation of the Private Sector Advisory Council (PSAC).

“I met with various agencies of the government including the private sector. During the meeting, it was proposed to develop more seedling nurseries in the entire country to boost the production of vegetables and rice,” Marcos said.

He said state agencies should seek help from SUCs in directing students’ interest towards seed production. With graduates of agricultural SUCs handling seed production, farmers could focus on growing the seedlings, the President said.

“The farmers can take care of the actual growing of seedlings. These new agronomists, agriculturists can be (the) ones doing seed production,” he said at the meeting with PSAC.

At the meeting with Marcos, PSAC member Aileen Uygongco-Ongkauko of the La Filipina Uy Gongco Group presented a recommendation for enhancing local seed production across all crops to boost the country’s food security.

Commission on Higher Education Chairman Prospero de Vera said some 70 SUCs offer agriculture programs. Fifteen of them have facilities for coconut production, while others have unused lands that can be repurposed for seedling production through agreements with the agriculture department, De Vera added.

Marcos said increasing seedling nurseries across the country would also benefit Pampanga’s agriculture, food specialty and food processing industries.

He added that Pampanga, considered the Culinary Capital of the Philippines, will benefit from the initiative.

“I am sure that this initiative will help certain industries here in Pampanga, including palay, specialty food and food processing,” he added.

He also highlighted the partnership between the public and private sectors in the province through the Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty Program.

Pampanga is the leading producer of eggs in Central Luzon. The province represents 17.7 percent of the overall egg production in the country.

PSAC lead convenor and Aboitiz Group president and CEO Sabin Aboitiz emphasized the importance of these initiatives.

“These efforts go beyond just addressing food security. They represent a meaningful step toward sustainability, healthier living and making more efficient use of our resources. By increasing awareness of brown rice’s benefits and addressing rice wastage through the half-cup rice initiative, we can collectively create impactful change,” Aboitiz said.

Also yesterday, Marcos ordered all concerned government agencies to finish disaster-mitigation projects in Cagayan Valley.

Included in the list of priority projects are flood control structures, irrigation systems and rehabilitation initiatives on major river basins and dams in Region 2.

He reported ongoing construction of flood mitigation project along the Pinacanauan de Tumauini River in Cagayan, known as the Tumauini River Multipurpose Project.

The project is expected to irrigate 8,200 hectares of agricultural land and benefit 5,860 farmers.

Review of master plans for key river basins in the country is also underway, he added.

“Even the Magat Dam is already being worked on by the government,” Marcos said.

The Balasig Small Reservoir Irrigation Project, which is designed to enhance flood mitigation, would also provide reliable irrigation water in Isabela utilizing the Balasig River.

The Tuguegarao Circumferential Dike Road Project, which is being built to protect nearby communities by stabilizing riverbank soil and increasing river’s drainage capacity, was also monitored.